















































































































THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


AUTHOR OF 

MY LADY CINDERELLA 
A WOMAN IN GREY 
ETC. 

CO-AUTHOR OF 

SET IN SILVER 

THE LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR 
THE PRINCESS PASSES 
THE CAR OF DESTINY 
THE CHAPERON 

ETC. 


J 































































HE ](JASTLE 
of the IglHADOWS 


Ba 

Mrs. C. N. WILLIAMSON 

Author of 

“ MY LADY CINDERELLA.’' ETC. 

Williamson, %5.A)i't£ Mu.nt! (Livi>gstir) 



New York: THE HUDSON PRESS. Publisher! 


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Copy -2- 


Copyright, 1909 
By 

The Hudson Press 


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TO 

A GOOD MARCHESE 
THIS STORY OF 


A WICKED MARCHESE 




CONTENTS 


CHAPTER I page 

Where Dreamland Began 9 

CHAPTER II 

The Story Told by Two 35 

CHAPTER III 

A Mystery and a Bargain 62 

CHAPTER IV 

The Close-* Door v .... 84 

CHAPTER V 

The Lady on the Verandah 106 

CHAPTER VI 

The End of the World 130 

CHAPTER VII 

The Gates Open 151 

CHAPTER VIII 

Number 1280 170 

CHAPTER IX 

A Cry Across the Water * . . . 191 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER X page 

“Once on Board the Lugger” 212 

CHAPTER XI 

Virginia’s Great Moment 234 

CHAPTER XII 

Stand and Deliver! ........ „ .... 255 

CHAPTER XIII 

The Game of Bluff . .• . . . M ••• . . . 277 


THE CASTLE 
OF THE SHADOWS 


CHAPTER I 

.WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 
CCORDING to the calendar it was winter; but 



JL JL between Mentone and the frontier town of 
Ventimiglia, on the white road inlaid like a strip 
of ivory on dark rocks above the sapphire of the 
Mediterranean, it was fierce summer in the sun- 
shine. A girl, riding between two men, reined in 
her chestnut mare at a cross road which led into the 
jade-green twilight of an olive grove. The men 
pulled up their horses also, and all three came to 
a sudden halt on a bridge flung across a swift 
but shallow river, whose stony bed cleft the valley. 

The afternoon sunshine poured down upon them, 
burnishing the coils of the girl’s hair to gold, and 
giving a dazzling brilliancy to a complexion which 


9 


IO THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


for twenty years to come need not fear the light 
of day. She was gazing up the valley shut in on 
either side with thickly wooded hills, their rugged 
heads still gilded, their shoulders already half in 
shadow; but the eyes of the men rested only upon 
her. One was English, the other Italian; and 
it was the Italian whose look devoured her 
beauty, moving hungrily from the shining tendrils 
of gold that curled at the back of her white neck, 
up to the small pink ear almost hidden with a thick, 
rippling wave of hair; so to the piquant profile 
which, to those who loved Virginia Beverly, was 
dearer than cold perfection. 

“ Oh, the olive woods ! ” she exclaimed. “ How 
sweet they are! See the way the sunshine touches 
the old, gnarled trunks, and what a lovely light 
filters through the leaves. One never sees it any- 
where except in an olive grove. I should like to 
live in one.” 

“Well, why not?” laughed the' Englishman. 
“ What prevents you from buying two or three ? 
But you would soon tire of them, my child, as 
you do of everything as soon as it belongs to you.” 

“ That’s not fair,” replied the girl. “ Besides, 
if it were, who has helped to spoil me? I will 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN n 


buy an olive grove, and you shall see if I tire of 
it. Come, let's ride up the valley, and find out 
if there are any for sale. It looks heavenly cool, 
after this heat." 

“ You’ll soon discover that it’s too cool," said 
the Italian, in perfect English. “ The sun is only 
in these valleys for a few hours, and it’s gone for 
the day now. Besides, there’s nothing interest- 
ing here. One sees the best from where we 
stand." 

Virginia Beverly turned her eyes upon him and 
let them dwell on his face questioningly. “ Of 
course, you must know every inch of this country," 
she said, “ as you used to live just across the 
Italian border." 

For once he did not answer her look. “ I haven’t 
spent much time here for several years. Paris 
has absorbed me," he said evasively. “ One for- 
gets a good deal; but if you want to see a really 
charming valley, we had better go further on. 
Then I think I can show you one." 

Virginia’s pretty brows, which were many shades 
darker than her hair, drew together. “ But I don’t 
want to go further," she said. “ And I like this 
valley." 


12 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


"Spoiled child!” ejaculated the Englishman, 
who claimed rights of cousinship, though by birth 
Virginia was American. 

At that moment two members of the riding party, 
who had contrived to be left behind, came leisurely 
up. One was a very handsome, dark woman, who 
succeeded in looking not more than thirty, the other 
a young man of twenty-five, enough like Virginia 
to suggest that they were brother and sister. 

“ What are you stopping for ? ” inquired Lady 
Gardiner, who would not have been sorry to keep 
her friends in advance. 

“ Waiting for you,” said Virginia promptly. “ I 
want to explore this valley.” 

As she spoke she gave her mare a little pat on 
the velvety neck. The animal, which was Virginia's 
own, brought from her namesake state, had never 
known the touch of the whip, but understood the 
language of the hand and voice. She went off at 
a trot up the shadowed road; and the Marchese 
Loria was the first to follow. But he bit his lip 
under the black moustache, pointed in military 
fashion at the ends, and appeared more annoyed 
than he need because a pretty girl had insisted 
upon having her own way. 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 13 


It was not yet cold, as he had prophesied, but 
it was many degrees cooler than in the sunshine; 
and as they rode on the valley narrowed, the soft 
darkness of the olive grove closing in the white 
road that overhung the rock-bed of the river. 

The hills rose higher, shutting out the day, and 
there was a brooding silence, only intensified by 
the hushed whisper of the water among its 
pebbles. 

The shoulders of the heights were losing their 
gold glitter now; and Virginia had a curious sen- 
sation of leaving reality behind and entering a 
mysterious dreamland. 

For a long time they rode without speaking. 
Then Virginia broke the spell of constraint which 
had fallen upon them. 

“ Where are the peasants who gather the olives ? ” 
she asked of the Italian, who rode almost sullenly 
beside her. 

“ This isn’t the time of year for that,” he replied, 
more abruptly than was his custom in speaking to 
her. 

“ I never saw such a deserted place ! ” exclaimed 
the girl. “ We have ridden ever so far into the 
valley now — two miles at least — and there hasn’t 


14 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


been a sign of human habitation; not a person, not 
a house, except the little ruined tower we passed a 
few minutes ago, and that old chateau almost at 
the top of the hill. Look! the last rays of the sun 
are touching its windows before saying good-bye to 
the valley. Aren’t they like the fiery eyes of some 
fierce animal, glaring watchfully down at us out of 
the dusk ? ” 

Pointing upward, she turned to him for approval 
of her fancy, and to her surprise saw him pale, as 
if he had been attacked with sudden illness. 

“ What is the matter ? ” she asked quickly. 

“ Nothing at all,” he replied. “ A slight chill, 
perhaps.” 

“ No, there is more than that,” Virginia said 
slowly. “ I’m sure of it. I’ve been sure ever since 
we stood on the bridge looking up this valley. You 
wanted to go on. You could hardly bear to stop, 
and when I proposed riding in you made excuses.” 

“ Only for your sake, fearing you might catch 
cold.” 

“ Yet you suggested going on to another valley. 
Would it have been warmer than this? Oh, Mar- 
chese, I don’t like you when you are subtle and 
secretive. It reminds me that we are of different 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 15 

countries — as different as the north can be from 
the south. Do tell me what is really in your mind. 
Why do you hate this valley? Why has coming 
into it tied your tongue, and made you look as if 
you had seen a ghost ? ” 

“You exaggerate, Miss Beverly,” said Loria. 
“ But if you care to know the precise truth you 
shall, on one condition. ,, 

“ What is it?” 

“ That you turn your horse’s head and consent 
to go out into the sunshine again. When we are 
there I will tell you.” 

“No. If I hear your story, and think it worth 
turning back for, I will. I mean to have a nearer 
glimpse of that chateau. It must have a lovely view 
over the tops of the olive trees.” 

She touched the mare, who changed from a trot 
into a gallop. In five minutes more they would 
be under the castle; but almost instantly Loria, 
obliged to follow, had caught up with her again. 

“ One of the greatest sorrows of my life is con- 
nected with this valley,” he answered desperately. 
“ Now will you take pity upon me and turn round? ” 

Virginia hesitated. The man’s voice shook. She 
did not know whether to yield or to feel contempt 


16 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


because he showed emotion so much more readily 
than her English and American friends. But while 
she hesitated they were joined by her cousin, Sir 
Roger Broom, who had been riding behind with her 
half-brother, George Trent, and Lady Gardiner. 

“ Look here, Loria," he exclaimed, with a certain 
excitement underlying his tone, “ it has just oc- 
curred to me that this is — er — the place that's 
been nicknamed for the last few years the * Valley 
of the Shadow.' " 

“ You are right," answered Loria. “ That is why 
I didn't wish to come in." 

Sir Roger nodded towards the chateau, which 
now loomed over them, grey, desolate, one-half in 
ruins, yet picturesquely beautiful both in position 
and architecture. “ Then that is — " he began, but 
the Italian cut him short. 

“ Yes. And won't you help me persuade Miss 
Beverly that we’ve seen enough of this valley 
now? " 

“ Why, the castle's for sale! ” cried Virginia sud- 
denly, before Roger Broom had had time to speak. 

She pointed to one of the tall gate-posts at the 
foot of the hill, close to the road, which showed a 
notice-board announcing in both French and Italian 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 17 

that the Chateau de la Roche was to be sold, per- 
mission to view being obtainable within. 

“ Poor people, they must have been reduced to 
sad straits indeed ! ” murmured Sir Roger, looking 
at the board with its faded lettering, half defaced 
by time and weather. 

“ Yes, it was all very unfortunate, very miser- 
able, Loria said hastily. “ Shall we go back? ” 

The Englishman seemed hardly to hear. “ I’d 
seen photographs of the valley, but I’d quite forgot- 
ten, until suddenly it began to look familiar. Then, 
all in a flash, I remembered.” 

“ What do you remember ; and why do you call 
this the Valley of the Shadow?” demanded Vir- 
ginia. “ You are both very mysterious. But per- 
haps it’s the influence of the place. Everything 
seems mysterious here.” 

Roger Broom sighed, and roused himself with an 
effort from his reverie. “ Queer that we should 
have drifted here by accident,” he said — “ es- 
pecially with you j Loria.” 

“ Why especially with me ? ” the other asked with 
a certain sharpness. 

“You were the poor fellow’s friend. Oh, Vir- 
ginia, forgive me for not answering you. This 


18 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


place is reminiscent of tragedy. A man whom I 
used to know slightly, and Loria intimately, lived 
here. That grim old house perched up on the hill- 
side has been the home of his ancestors for hundreds 
of years. Now, you see, it is for sale. But it’s 
likely to remain so. Who would buy it ? ” 

“ Why not ? ” asked Virginia. “ Is it haunted ? ” 

“ Only by melancholy thoughts of a family 
ruined, a man cut off from life at its best and 
brightest, to be sent into exile worse than death. 
By the way, Loria, do you know what became of 
the sister? ” 

“ I have heard that she still lives here with an 
aunt and one old servant,” answered the Italian, 
his face grey-white in the greenish dusk of the 
olive woods. 

“ Is it possible? What a life for a girl! I 
suppose that there is absolutely not money enough 
to keep up another establishment, no matter how 
small. Why, were there no relatives — no one to 
help? ” 

“ The relatives all believed in her brother’s guilt, 
and she would have nothing to do with them. As 
for help, her family is a difficult one to help. Of 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 19 

course it would be a good thing for her to sell the 
chateau.” 

Virginia sat her horse between the two others, 
impatient and curious. It was easy to see how dis- 
tasteful the conversation was to the Marchese Loria. 
He answered Sir Roger’s questions only by an ef- 
fort ; and as for her cousin, even he was moved out 
of the imperturbable sang-froid which sometimes 
pleased, sometimes irritated Virginia, according to 
her mood. 

“ Was it because of this young man’s guilt that 
the place was called the Valley of the Shadow?” 
she asked again. 

“ Yes. A mere nickname, of course, though an 
ominous one,” said Roger. “ You see, the Dala- 
haides used to keep open house, and spend a great 
deal of money at one time, so that their ruin threw 
a gloom over the country even colder than the even- 
ing shadows. The father took his own life in 
shame and despair, the mother died of grief, and 
only a girl is left of the four who used to be so 
happy together.” 

“But what of the fourth — the brother?” In 
spite of herself, Virginia’s voice sank, and the 


20 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


penetrating chill of the valley crept into her spirit. 

“ He is worse than dead/’ answered Roger 
evasively. “ By Jove I Loria is right. It is cold 
here. Let us turn back.” 

“ I should like to buy that chateau,” announced 
the American girl, as calmly as if she had spoken 
of acquiring a new brooch. 

“ Good gracious ! What next ? ” exclaimed Sir 
Roger. “ But you’re not in earnest, of course.” 

“ I am in earnest,” said she. “ I should love to 
have it. It’s an ideal house, set on that great rocky 
hill, and ringed round with olive groves. Though 
the sun is gone so soon from the bottom of the val- 
ley, where we are, the chateau windows are still 
bright. The place fascinates me. I am going to 
ride in and ask to see the house. Who will come 
with me? ” 

Virginia looked at the Marchese with a half-smil- 
ing challenge; but he did not speak, and Lady 
Gardiner’s black eyes gave out a flash. She was as 
poor as she was handsome and well born, and her 
life as the American girl’s chaperon was an easy 
one. The thought that Virginia Beverly might 
make up her mind to become the Marchesa Loria 
was disagreeable to Kate Gardiner, and she was 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 21 

glad that the Italian should displease the spoilt 
beauty. 

“ I’ll go with you, dear, if you are really bent 
on the adventure,” said the elder woman. 

“ Forgive me, Miss Beverly. But I — once knew 
these people. I could not go into their house on 
such an errand. They would think I had come to 
spy on their mis fortune,” protested Loria miser- 
ably. 

“ I knew them, too,” said Roger Broom, “ and I’ll 
stay down here and keep Loria company.” 

Lady Gardiner looked at George Trent, with 
whom she was having an amusing flirtation, which 
would certainly have been more than amusing if 
he had been only a quarter as rich as his half- 
sister. 

“ I’ll take you and Virgie up to the door, any- 
how,” he responded to the look, and springing from 
his horse, he pushed open the tall gate of rusty 
iron. 

Then, mounting again, the three passed between 
the grey stone gate-posts with an ancient carved 
escutcheon obliterated with moss and lichen. They 
rode along the grass-grown avenue which wound 
up the hill among the cypresses and olive trees, com- 


22 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


ing out at last, as they neared the chateau, from 
shadow into a pale, chastened sunshine which among 
the grey-green trees had somewhat the effect of 
moonlight. 

“ Have you ever heard of the Dalahaides ? ” Vir- 
ginia demanded of her chaperon. 

“ If I have, I’ve forgotten,” said Lady Gardiner. 
“ And yet there does seem to be a dim memory of 
something strange hovering at the back of my 
brain.” 

They were above the grove now, on a terrace 
with a perspective of ruined garden, whence the 
battered faces of ancient statues peeped out, yel- 
low-white from behind overgrown rose bushes and 
heliotrope. The chateau was before them, the win- 
dows still reflecting the sunlight; but this borrowed 
glitter was all the brightness it had. Once beauti- 
ful, the old battlemented house had an air of proud 
desolation, as if scorning pity, since it could no 
longer win admiration. 

“ You would have to spend thousands of pounds 
in restoring this old ruin if you should really buy 
it, Virginia,” said Lady Gardiner. 

“ Well, wouldn't it be worth while to spend 
them ? ” asked the girl. “ I certainly — ” She 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 23 

stopped in the midst of her sentence, a bright 
flush springing to her face; for turning a corner 
of the avenue which brought them close to the 
chateau, they came suddenly upon a young woman, 
dressed in black, who must have heard their last 
words. 

Instantly George Trent had his hat in his hand, 
and before Virginia could speak he had dismounted 
and plunged into explanations. He begged pardon 
for the intrusion, and said that, as they had seen 
the announcement that the chateau was for sale, 
they had ventured to ride up in the hope of being 
allowed to see the house. As he spoke, in fairly 
good though rather laboured French, he smiled on 
the girl in black with a charming smile, very like 
Virginia’s. And Lady Gardiner looked from one to 
the other gravely. She was not as pleased as she 
had been that George Trent had come here with 
them, for the girl in the shabby black dress had a 
curiously arresting, if not beautiful, face, and her 
surroundings, the background of the desolate castle, 
and the circumstances of the meeting, framed her in 
romance. 

Lady Gardiner did not like the alacrity with 
which Trent had snatched off his hat and sprung 


24 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


from his horse, nor did she approve of the expres- 
sion in his eyes, though Virginia's were just as 
eager. 

To the surprise of all three, the girl answered in 
English; not the English of a French jeune fille, 
instructed by an imported “ Miss," but the English 
of an Englishwoman, pure and sweet, though the 
voice was sad and lifeless. Her melancholy dark 
eyes, deep and somber as mountain tarns, wandered 
from the brother’s handsome face to the beautiful 
one of the sister. 

“ Pray don’t speak of an intrusion," she said. 
“ Our servant will be glad to show you through 
the house, and afterwards, if you really think of 
buying the place, he will give you the address of 
an agent in Mentone who can tell you everything." 

“ Then shan’t we find you again when we have 
seen the chateau?" asked Virginia wistfully. 

The girl smiled for the first time, but there was 
no brightness in the smile. “ I shall be very pleased 
to speak with you before you go if there is anything 
you care to say to me," she replied, mechanically 
raising the great bunch of heliotrope she had been 
gathering to her lips. 

“ Now I will call our servant. He will put up 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 25 


your horses while you go in; though Fm afraid 
that we have no very good accommodation for 
them, as our stables have been empty for a long 
time. ,, 

“ Oh, thank you, we needn’t give him that trou- 
ble,” said Trent. “ I can fasten the horses’ bridles 
to some tree or other, and they will be all right.” 

The girl disappeared, a slender, youthful figure 
in the plain black gown, yet her step, though it was 
not slow, had none of the lightsomeness of youth. 
She seemed to have lost all joy of life, though she 
could scarcely have been more than twenty-two or 
three. 

“ Another mystery ! ” Virginia said in a low voice. 
“ How comes she to be English ? Is she the girl 
they were talking about down below, or is she a 
companion ? ” 

“ She looks like a banished princess,” said Trent. 
“ I never saw such wonderful eyes. Deep as a well, 
reflecting a night of stars.” 

Lady Gardiner’s lips tightened a little. She was 
rather vain of her eyes. “ I think the girl would 
appear a very ordinary young person,” she re- 
marked, “ if one saw her anywhere but here.” 

George lifted her down from the horse without 


26 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


answering, but Virginia did not wait to be helped. 
She sprang to the ground, and by the time that 
George had tethered the horses an old man in a 
faded livery came limping out from the side door 
through which the girl in black had lately disap- 
peared. 

Almost crippled with rheumatism, he had still 
all the dignity of a trusted servant of an ancient 
house, and his old eyes seemed gravely to defy these 
prosperous young people to criticise his threadbare 
clothing. 

“ Mademoiselle ” had desired him to take mon- 
sieur and mesdames over the chateau, he politely 
announced in French, and went on to beg that they 
would give themselves the trouble of being con- 
ducted to the door at the front, that they might go 
in by the great hall. He also regretted that the 
visitors had not arrived earlier in the day, as the 
rooms could not be seen at their best advantage so 
near to sunset. 

Virginia's heart began to beat oddly as she en- 
tered the house. She had still the feeling of having 
left realities behind and strayed into dreamland; but 
with the opening of the heavy door it seemed to 
her that the dream was about to change into a 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 27 


vision which would mean something for her future. 

Of course it was all nonsense, she told herself, 
as the old man led them across the shadowy, tapes- 
try-hung hall, and from one huge, dim, wainscotted 
or frescoed room to another; yet always, as they 
approached a doorway, she caught herself think- 
ing — “ Now a strange thing is going to happen.” 

“ This is the state drawing-room ; this is the 
library; this is the chapel; this is the bride’s suite,” 
the servant announced laconically. But though the 
castle was evidently very ancient and must have a 
private history of its own, centuries old, he offered 
no garrulous details of past grandeur, as most serv- 
ants would. As they walked through a dining-room 
of magnificent proportions, but meager ly furnished, 
they passed a half-open door, and Virginia had a 
glimpse of a charming little room with a huge pro- 
jecting window. Mechanically she paused, then 
drew away quickly as she saw that mademoiselle 
was seated at a table arranging the flowers she had 
gathered in the melancholy garden. The old man 
hobbled on, as if the door had not existed, and Vir- 
ginia would have followed, had not the girl in black 
stepped forward and invited them in, with a certain 
proud humility. 


2 % THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ This is our sitting-room — my aunt’s and 
mine,” she said. “ My aunt is not here now, so 
come in, if you will. It is a small room! still, it 
is one of the brightest and most homelike we have 
left.” 

She held open the door, and the three visitors 
obeyed her gesture of invitation; but suddenly the 
girl’s face changed. The blood streamed up to her 
forehead, then ebbed again, leaving her marble- 
pale. She gave a slight start, as if she would have 
changed her mind and kept the strangers from en- 
tering; yet she made no motion to arrest them. 

“ She has just remembered something in this 
room that she doesn’t wish us to see,” thought 
Virginia; but it was too late to retreat, without 
drawing attention to an act which she could not ex- 
plain. They all went in, the others apparently sus- 
pecting nothing; but in a second Virginia instinc- 
tively guessed the reason of her hostess’s sudden 
constraint, and the sympathetic thrill that ran 
through her own veins surprised her. In a panel 
of the darkly wainscotted and curiously gilded wall 
was placed a life-size portrait of a man. It was an 
oil-painting, defective in technique, perhaps, but so 
spirited, so extraordinarily lifelike as to give an ef- 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 29 


feet, at first glance in the twilight, as if a handsome 
young man were just stepping in through an open 
door. Virginia seemed to meet the brilliant, au- 
dacious eyes; the frank, almost boyish smile was 
for her; and — whether because of the half-told 
story of this strange house, or because of the brave 
young splendour of the figure in the portrait — her 
heart gave a bound such as it had never yet given 
for a man. 

She did not need to be told that this was the 
counterfeit presentment of him who, in some mys- 
terious way, had brought ruin upon those who 
loved him; and suddenly she understood the full 
meaning of Loria’s words when he had said, " the 
relatives all believed in his guilt, so his sister would 
have nothing to do with them.” 

Virginia Beverly, headstrong, wilful, passionate, 
was only superficially spoilt by the flattery which 
had been her daily diet as a great beauty and a great 
heiress. She was impulsive, but her impulses were 
true and often unselfish. Now her warm heart 
went out to meet the loyal heart of the pale, sad 
girl in black, whom an hour ago she had never seen, 
whose very name she had not known. “ She is 
right to believe in him,” Virginia said to herself. 


3 o THE CASTLE 0E THE SHADOWS 


“ Loyalty is the finest virtue of all. I believe in him 
too. Whatever crime they say he committed, I’m 
sure he was innocent. What — a criminal, with 
that face ? It’s not possible, and I wish I could tell 
her so.” v 

She could scarcely tear her eyes from the por- 
trait, though she feared to let her interest be ob- 
served, lest it should unjustly be put down to vulgar 
curiosity. And when the old man who conducted 
them, having met and answered a quick glance from 
his mistress, invited the visitors to continue their 
tour of inspection, Virginia left her thoughts behind 
in the room of the portrait, walking as in a dream 
through the series of lofty, half-dismantled apart- 
ments which still remained to be visited. 

She hoped that, when they should see their 
hostess again for the promised leave-taking, it would 
be in the same room as before. But she was 
doomed to disappointment. Mademoiselle met the 
party in the great hall, and, hearing from George 
Trent that his sister thought seriously of buying the 
chateau, gave them the address of an estate agent 
in Mentone. 

Virginia was not a self-centred girl, and at any 
other time she would have been surprised at the en- 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 31 

couragement given to this new whim of hers by her 
half-brother; she would have sought some underly- 
ing cause, for George Trent — who was her moth- 
er’s son by a first marriage — was nearly five years 
older than she, and rather piqued himself upon in- 
fluencing her to ways of wisdom. But now, though 
he extolled the charms of the Chateau de la Roche, 
and made light of the expenses of restoration, as 
they rode down the avenue under the olive trees, 
Virginia was too much occupied with the mystery 
of the house and the portrait’s original to observe 
the young man’s manner. It did not escape Lady 
Gardiner’s observation, however, and her thoughts 
were troubled. 

She was thirty-six, and George Trent was ten 
years younger; but she confessed to twenty-nine, 
and really did not look more, except when certain 
worries, which she usually kept in the background, 
pressed heavily upon her. For a year, ever since 
Virginia had left America for England and the Con- 
tinent, she had lived with the sister and brother, 
and had been reaping a harvest almost literally of 
gold and diamonds. She did not want Virginia to 
marry and free herself from chaperonage; and if 
she could not marry George Trent herself, since he 


3 2 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


was neither old enough nor rich enough, she could 
not bear the thought that he might forget his passing 
admiration for her, and fall seriously in love with 
someone else. 

She, too, was curious concerning mademoiselle 
and her past, but with a very different curiosity 
from Virginia’s, and she determined to learn the 
story of the Dalahaides and their chateau above the 
Valley of the Shadow. She did not, however, wish 
to appear curious before Virginia or her brother, 
and hoped that the American girl, with her wonted 
audacity, would at once approach the topic when 
they had rejoined Sir Roger Broom and the Mar- 
chese Loria. But Virginia asked no questions, con- 
tenting herself with answering those of her cousin, 
which for some reason confined themselves entirely 
to the chateau. Lady Gardiner was sure, since he 
admitted having known the Dalahaides, that, being 
human, Roger would have liked to hear something 
of the girl who lived there like Mariana in the 
Moated Grange ; and it would have been interesting 
to know why he refrained from mentioning her. 

As they rode through the valley, dark and sad 
now, in the chill of its early dusk, she brought her 
horse to Virginia’s side in so narrow a defile of the 


WHERE DREAMLAND BEGAN 33 

road that Roger, who was with the girl, dropped be- 
hind. 

“ Have you noticed that the Marchese hasn’t 
asked us a single question about your chateau ? ” 
she remarked. “ He is a changed man since we 
came into this valley. I wonder if there was ever 
anything between him and that tragic-looking girl 
up there ? Perhaps Sir Roger knows, and that’s the 
reason he didn’t speak of her.” 

“ Perhaps,” echoed Virginia listlessly, and Kate 
Gardiner said no more. 

An odd restraint seemed to have settled on the 
whole party, which had started out so gaily in the 
sunshine. Each one was sunk deep in his or her 
own thoughts, as if the twilight had touched them 
with its delicate melancholy. 

They were stopping at the Cap Martin hotel, high 
on the hill in its beautiful garden, and among its 
pines; and there was a dance that night, for which 
Virginia had promised Loria several waltzes; but 
she complained that the ride had tired her. 

Instead of dancing she went after dinner to the 
private sitting-room which she and Lady Gardiner 
shared, having quietly asked Roger Broom if he 
would come to her there for a few minutes. He 


34 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


found her, not in the room, but on the balcony, in 
floods of moonlight, which gave her beauty an un- 
earthly charm as she lay on a chaise longue, wrapped 
in an evening cloak of white and silver brocade. 

“ You don’t mind leaving the dance a little while 
— for me ? ” she asked. 

Roger smiled his quiet, pleasant smile. “ There’s 
nothing in the world I would mind leaving for you, 
Virginia,” he said, “ and I think you know that very 
well.” 

“ Sometimes I believe it’s true. I should like to 
believe it to-night,” she answered, “ because I need 
your help. There’s a secret, and I must find it 
out.” 

As the girl spoke there was a slight sound in 
the room beyond the big, open window. 

“ What’s that ? ” exclaimed Roger. “ Who is 
there?” 

“ Nobody,” said Virginia. “ It must be a log 
of olive-wood falling in the fireplace.” 


CHAPTER II 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 

R OGER waited. He knew that Virginia was 
gathering her forces together, and that he 
might expect the unexpected. 

“ I want you to tell me all about that girl in 
mourning who lives at the Chateau de la Roche,” 
she said after a moment, “ and what her brother 
did.” 

Roger was slow in answering. “ It’s not a pleas- 
ant story for your ears. I was sorry this afternoon 
that I had spoken even as freely as I did about it 
before you. Loria took me to task rather, after 
you'd gone up to the chateau, and he was right. 
By Jove! Virginia, I believe that if I'd said noth- 
ing, the idea of buying the place would never have 
occurred to you.” 

“ Perhaps not,” she admitted. “ But it has oc- 
curred to me, and once I have an idea in my head I 
keep it tenaciously — as all my long-suffering 
35 


36 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


friends know to their sorrow. Will you go to-mor- 
row to the agent whose address I have and make in- 
quiries ? ” 

“ Certainly, if you wish.” 

“ Oh, you think if no one thwarts me, I’ll get 
over the fancy. But I won’t! I’m going to have 
that chateau among the olive trees for mine if it 
costs me fifty thousand pounds (which it won’t, I 
know), even if I only live in it for one month out 
of five years. The thing is, to feel it’s my own. 
So now, you see, as the place is practically my prop- 
erty, naturally I’d like to know something of the 
people who have been its owners.” 

“ I don’t see why. When one buys a house one 
doesn’t usually agitate oneself much about the fam- 
ily history of one’s predecessors.” 

“ Roger, you know this is different. I want you 
and no one else to tell me. Still, if you w r on’t — ” 

“ Oh, if you insist you must be gratified, I sup- 
pose, up to certain limits. What do you want to 
know ? ” 

“ Everything.” 

“ H’m ! Rather too large an order, my child. 
However, to begin with, the Dalahaides of the 
Chateau de la Roche were English in the last gen- 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 3 7 

eration, but the family is of French origin. When 
the last member of the French branch died, a banker 
in London was the next heir. He gave the chateau 
and the Dalahaide house in Paris as a wedding 
present to his son, who was about to be married. 
The bride and bridegroom came over on their honey- 
moon, and took such a fancy to the chateau that 
they made their home there, or rather between it 
and the old house in Paris. This young couple had 
in time a son, and then a daughter. Perhaps you 
saw the daughter to-day ? ” 

“ Yes, it was she. You didn’t ask me about her 
before.” 

“No; the fact is, I thought that further con- 
versation on the subject would be too painful for 
poor Loria. You must have seen that he was up- 
set.” 

“ I couldn’t help seeing. But go on.” 

“ Well, the father and mother and their two 
children were a most devoted family. They were 
all handsome and clever and popular, and if they 
were not millionaires, they were extravagant, for 
they gave delightful entertainments here and in 
Paris, and their purses were open for anyone who 
wished to dip in his fingers. 


38 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ The son Maxime, always called Max, inherited 
his father's generous, reckless, extravagant ways. 
He was drawn into the fastest set in Paris, and 
lost a lot of money at baccarat. That wouldn't have 
mattered much, perhaps, if at the same time some 
large investments of the father's hadn’t gone wrong 
and crippled the family resources. Then, as mis- 
fortunes generally come in crowds, there was a 
slight earthquake along this part of the coast, and 
the chateau was partly ruined, as you saw to-day, 
for they were not able then to have it restored. 
* Next year,' they said ; but there was no next year 
for the Dalahaides. Only a few months after the 
first two blows came the third, which was to crush 
the family for ever. Max Dalahaide was accused of 
murder, tried, and condemned." 

“ What — he is dead, then ? I thought you said 
« — I — ” Virginia’s heart gave so sudden and vio- 
lent a bound that she stammered, and grew red and 
white under the revealing moonlight. She was 
thinking of the portrait — seeing it again, looking 
into the eyes which had seemed to speak. Dead! 
Executed as a murderer! The thought was horri- 
ble; it stifled her. 

“ No, he is not dead," answered Roger gravely ; 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 


39 


“ at least, if he is I haven’t heard of it. But — if 
he still exists — one can’t call it living — he must 
have wished a hundred times a day to die and be out 
of his misery. Perhaps death has come to him. 
It might, and I not have known; for from out of 
the pit which has engulfed him, seldom an echo 
reaches the world above.” 

" Roger, you frighten me ! What do you 
mean? ” the girl exclaimed. 

“ Forgive me, child. I forgot for a moment, 
and was thinking aloud. I don’t often forget you, 
do I ? I said to-day that Max Dalahaide was dead 
in life. That is true. Family influence, the tre- 
mendous eloquence of a man engaged to plead his 
cause, the fact that Max insisted upon his innocence, 
while the evidence was entirely circumstantial, saved 
him from the guillotine, which I believe he would 
have preferred, in his desperation. He was sent to 
that Hades upon earth, New Caledonia, a prisoner 
for life.” 

“ But — he was English !” 

“ No. His parents had been English, but he, 
having been born in France, was a French subject. 
He had even served his time in the army. Natur- 
ally he was amenable to French law; and he is 


40 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


buried alive in Noumea, the most terrible prison in 
the world.” 

“ And he was innocent ! ” 

Roger, who had been gazing out over the sea, 
turned a surprised look upon Virginia. 

“No! He was not innocent,” he said quickly. 
“ Everything proved his guilt. It is impossible that 
he should have been innocent.” 

“ His sister believed in him.” 

“Yes, his sister. What does that prove? The 
father thought him guilty, and killed himself. As 
for the mother — who knows ? At all events, she 
died — broken-hearted. Every penny the family 
possessed, after their great losses, went for Max- 
ime’s defence; but, except that his life was saved, 
it was in vain.” 

“ You knew him — he was your friend — yet you 
believed in his guilt ? ” 

“ I hardly knew him well enough to call myself 
a friend. I admired him, certainly. Max Dala- 
haide was the handsomest, wittiest, most fascinat- 
ing fellow I ever met. Neither man nor woman 
could resist him, if he set out to conquer. Loria 
and he were like brothers; yet Loria thought with 
the rest of the world. He can’t be blamed for dis- 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 


4i 


loyalty, either, for really there was nothing else to 
think, if one used one's reason." 

“If he had been my friend, I would not have 
used my reason ! " exclaimed Virginia. “ What is 
the use of reason, when one has instinct? — and that 
is never wrong. But it is good of you to defend 
the Marchese, for I know you don't like him." 

“Don’t I?" echoed Roger. “If I don't, I'm 
afraid it is because you do. You won't have me, 
dear; you've told me that, and I don’t mean to 
bother you again; but I'm weak enough to be jealous 
when I think there's danger of your saying f Yes ' 
to anybody else." 

“ I don't know that there is any such danger in 
this case," said Virginia. “ But the Marchese is 
very handsome, and rather romantic, and he sings 
like an angel. Oh yes, I am almost jn love with him 
when he sings — or I was till yesterday. And how 
he dances ! It's poetry. When I am waltzing with 
the Marchese Loria I invariably make up my mind 
that I will accept him next time he asks. Then, 
afterwards, something holds me back. To-day, in 
that valley of shadows, he affected me quite differ- 
ently. It was as if — as if the shadows had shut 
down between us. I saw him in the shadow, his 


42 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


features changed — repellent. As the French say, 
he ‘ made me horror/ Yet I didn’t know why. Now 
I begin to understand. It was my precious instinct 
warning me, saying, ‘ This man is disloyal. Don’t 
trust him.’ ” 

“ You are unjust,” said Roger. “ I should like 
to let you misjudge him, but I can’t be a bounder, 
you know. He really behaved extremely well in the 
Dalahaide affair. The man couldn’t believe, 
against a mountain of evidence; nevertheless, he did 
what he could for his friend, guilty as he thought 
him. All this happened four years ago, when you 
were a demure little schoolgirl — if you ever could 
have been demure ! — in your own Virginia, not al- 
lowed even to hear of, much less read, the great 
newspaper scandals of the moment. I can’t remem- 
ber every detail of the affair, but it was said to be 
largely through Loria’s efforts that Max was saved 
from capital punishment for his crime.” 

“ You haven’t told me yet what that crime was.” 

“ Yes. I have said it was murder.” 

“ Ah ! but that is only a crude statement. I ask 
for the story.” 

“ You won’t have it from me, my child,” an- 
swered Roger coolly. “ I’m not a sensation-mon- 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 


43 


ger. It was a horrid affair, and one doesn’t talk of 
such things to little girls. You know all from me 
that you will know. Buy your chateau, if you 
choose. You’ve money enough to squander on 
twenty such toys, and not miss it. No doubt poor 
Madeleine Dalahaide will be benefited by the ex- 
change — her castle for your money. Fortunate 
for her, perhaps, that she is the last of the French 
Dalahaides, and has the right to sell the chateau.” 

“ You will tell me nothing more ? ” 

“ Nothing.” 

“ Then I will tell you one thing. I believe that 
the man was innocent. I have seen his portrait. 
I have seen his sister. That is enough for me. But 
what you will not tell me I shall learn for myself, 

and then — and then — you shall see what you shall 

_ _ _ )> 
see. 

Virginia slept restlessly that night. In her 
dreams she was always in the Valley of the Shadow, 
striving to find her way out into the sunlight; and 
sometimes the valley seemed but the entrance to that 
bottomless pit of shame where Maxime Dalahaide 
was entombed. She awoke from a dream forgotten, 
in a spasm of cold fear, before it was dawn, and 


44 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


switching on the electric light near the bed, she drew 
her watch from under the pillow. It was just six 
o’clock; and for a few moments Virginia lay still, 
thinking over the events of yesterday. After all, 
what did they mean for her? Nothing, said Rea- 
son; everything, said a Voice to which she could give 
no name. 

Suddenly her heart began to beat quickly with 
the excitement of a strange thought that seemed 
to spring out of herself, and then turn to face her. 
It pushed the girl from her bed, and she rose, 
shivering; for even here at Cap Martin it was cold 
in the early morning before the vivid sun had 
warmed the air. 

She was used to lying in bed until a fire of 
fragrant pine cones and olive wood crackled on the 
hearth, and her own maid had filled the bath in 
the bathroom adjoining. But now she bathed in the 
cold, dressing herself in her riding-habit, and even 
arranging her hair without help. By seven her 
toilet was made, and, turning off the electric light, 
she found that the sky was pink and golden with the 
winter sunrise. 

The girl rang for coffee, and ordered her horse 
to be ready. She and Kate Gardiner never met 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 45 

before ten o’clock, at earliest; thus three hours 
would pass before anyone save her maid would be- 
gin to wonder where she was ; and for the maid she 
would leave a line of explanation, mentioning that 
she had gone out on business, and that nothing was 
to be said unless Lady Gardiner inquired. 

Virginia had a ride of nearly two hours before 
she could reach the destination she had planned ; but 
neither the fresh air, the beauty of the scene, nor 
the exercise which she loved, could calm the fever in 
her blood. It was as if some power stronger than 
herself pushed her on; and though she had always 
been too healthy in mind and body to suffer from 
superstition, she now believed, half fearfully, that 
such an influence had possession of her. 

“ What is the matter with me ? ” she asked. “ I 
am no longer myself. It is as if I were only an 
instrument in hands that use me as they will. Why 
do I go this morning to the Chateau de la Roche? 
I don’t know. I don’t know what I shall say to 
excuse myself when I am there. Yet, somehow, 
the words will come to me — I feel it.” 

For it was to the chateau above the Valley of the 
Shadow that she was going. 

When she reached the gates, half-way up the 


46 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


slope of the wooded hill which the whole party- 
had climbed together yesterday, suddenly the nerv- 
ous exaltation that had carried her courageously so 
far, broke like a violin string too tightly drawn. 
She was horrified at her own boldness. She half 
turned back; then, setting her lips together, she 
slipped down from her saddle and opened the gate. 

This morning no slim, black-clad figure moved 
among the wilderness of neglected flowers. Vir- 
ginia tethered her mare, ascended the two or three 
stone steps, and struck the mailed glove of iron 
which formed the knocker on the oak of the door. 
Its echoes went reverberating through wide, empty 
spaces, and for some moments she stood trembling 
at her audacity. She said to herself that she could 
not knock again. If no one answered the last sum- 
mons she would take it as a sign that she ought 
not to have come, and she would steal away. But 
just as the limit of time she mentally set had 
passed, and she was in the act of turning from the 
door, it opened. 

The servant who had guided Virginia and her 
friends through the house the day before appeared, 
his pale, dignified old face showing such evident 
signs of surprise that the American girl, who had 


THE STORY TOLD BY, TWO 47 

*never flinched before anyone or anything, stam- 
mered and blushed as she asked for Mademoiselle 
Dalahaide. 

The old man politely ushered her in, but he was 
unable to hide his embarrassment. Mademoiselle 
should be informed at once, if she were at home, 
but, in fact, it was possible — He hesitated, and 
Virginia saw well that he prepared a way of escape 
for his young mistress in case she wished to avoid 
the unexpected caller. 

“ Pray tell mademoiselle that — that — ” Virginia 
began. She had meant to finish by saying that 
her business was urgent. But — supposing when 
she found herself face to face with the girl in black, 
the fugitive desires which had dragged her here 
refused to be clothed in coherent words? 

As the servant waited respectfully for the end of 
the message, a door which Virginia remembered 
as leading into the family chapel suddenly opened. 
Mademoiselle Dalahaide came slowly out, her head 
bent, her long black dress sweeping the stone floor 
of the hall in sombre folds. She did not see the 
stranger at first; but a faint ejaculation from the 
lips of the old Frenchman caused the dark head to 
be quickly raised. 


48 THE CASTLE OF. THE SHADOWS 


The eyes of the two girls met. Mademoiselle 
Dalahaide drew back a little, her tragically arrest- 
ing face unlighted by a smile. She looked the 
question that she did not speak; but she gave the 
American no greeting; and there was something of 
displeasure or distrust in her level, searching look. 

The moment which Virginia had dreaded, yet 
sought for, had come. All self-consciousness left 
her. She went to meet the other in an eager, al- 
most childlike way. 

“ Do forgive me,” she said in English. “ I had 
to come. I could not sleep last night. I got up 
before anyone else was awake, because I — because 
I wanted so much to see you, that I couldn’t wait : 
and I wanted to come to you alone.” 

Madeleine Dalahaide’s faint frown relaxed. 
Virginia in that mood was irresistible, even to a 
woman. Still the girl in black did not smile. She 
had almost forgotten that it was necessary and polite 
to force a smile for strangers. She had been so 
much alone, she and sorrow had grown so intimate, 
that she had become almost primitively sincere. 
The ordinary, pleasant little hypocrisies of the so- 
ciety in which she had once lived, during what now 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 


49 

seemed another state of existence, no longer existed 
for her. 

Nevertheless, she was not discourteous. “ You 
are kind to have taken this trouble,” she said. “ It 
is something about the chateau, no doubt — some 
questions which perhaps you forgot to ask yester- 
day ? ” 

The old man, who understood not a word of 
English, had discreetly and noiselessly retired, now 
that fate had taken the management of the situation 
from his hands. The two girls were alone in the 
great hall, the chapel door still open behind Made- 
leine Dalahaide giving her a background of red and 
purple light from a stained-glass window. 

“ No,” Virginia answered. “ If I said that busi- 
ness about the chateau brought me, it would be 
merely an excuse. It would make things easier for 
me in beginning, but — I wish to say to you only 
things that are really true. I came because — be- 
cause I want to help you.” 

The white oval of the other’s face was suddenly 
suffused with scarlet. The dark head was lifted 
on the slender throat. 

“ Thank you,” she said coldly. “ But I am not 


50 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


in need of help. If that is your reason for think- 
ing of buying this house, I beg — ” 

“ But it is not my reason. What can I say that 
you won’t misunderstand? There is one whom 
you love. Just now you were praying for him 
in that chapel. I know it. You were praying to 
God to help him, weren’t you? What if I should 
be an instrument sent you to be used for that pur- 
pose ? ” 

The tragic eyes stared at the eager, beautiful 
face, dazed and astonished. 

Virginia went on, not seeming to choose her 
words, but letting them flow as they would. 

“ I know how you have suffered. It is only a 
little while that I have known, but it seems long, 
very long. I have seen his portrait, and partly I 
came up to tell you this morning that I believe in 
his innocence; partly that, but most of all I came 
to say that he must be saved.” 

“ Saved ? ” echoed Madeleine Dalahaide. “ But 
that is not possible. Only death can save him 
now.” 

Neither had uttered a name; neither was aware 
that it had not been spoken by the other. For 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 51 

Madeleine always, for Virginia in this hour, one 
name rang through the world. There was no need 
to give it form. And, strangely, Madeleine was no 
longer surprised at Virginia’s mission. Perhaps, 
indeed, she believed her an incarnate answer to 
prayer; and in a moment all conventionalities had 
crumbled to pieces at their feet. 

“ Why do you say that ? ” cried the American 
girl. “ Prisoners are released sometimes.” 

“ Not life-prisoners at Noumea,” replied the oth- 
er; and the answer fell desolately on Virginia’s 
ear. Yet the thought, lit into life by her own 
words, as a flame is lighted by striking a match, had 
given her courage which would not die. 

“ Then he will be the first,” she said. “ I have 
been thinking. Oh! it has all been very vague 
— a kind of dream. But now I see everything 
clearly. Time unravels mysteries not easily solved 
at first. His innocence must be proved. Powerful 
friends shall give all their thoughts, all their in- 
genuity — ” 

“ We have no friends,” Madeleine answered bit- 
terly. 

“ You have one friend. You have me.” 


52 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


Then at last a sense of the strangeness of this 
scene rushed in a wave over the consciousness of 
the lonely dweller in the castle. 

“ I don’t understand,” she said slowly. “ Yester- 
day we had never met. I only knew your name 
because you spoke of buying this poor, sad home of 
mine. I — ” 

“ Neither do I understand,” broke in Virginia. 
“ But I have never understood myself. I only 
know that this# seems to be the thing I was born 
for. And if I fail in what I want to do for you 
and yours, why, I shall have come into the world 
for nothing, that is all.” 

“ But you are wonderful ! ” exclaimed Madeleine 
Dalahaide, realising with sudden force the other’s 
extreme beauty and strong magnetism. “ Did you 
— is it possible that you ever knew my brother ? ” 

“ I never heard his name till yesterday. But I 
have seen you, I have seen this house, I have heard 
something of the story, and — I have seen his 
portrait. Nobody told me, of course, that it was 
his; nobody could. But I knew at once. And I 
wondered how anyone who had ever known him 
could have believed that — that — ” 

“ Don’t be afraid to say it. Believed that he 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 53 

was a murderer. Oh, friends — friends! Friend- 
ship is a flower that withers with the first frost.” 

“ You shan’t have cause to think that of me — if 
you are going to take me for a friend.” 

“ I shall thank Heaven for you. Even if you 
can do nothing, to think that there is one human 
being in the world besides my poor aunt and me 
who believe in him, is like balm on an open wound. 
Come with me into the room where you saw the 
portrait. I painted it the year before — -the end. 
I talk to it sometimes, and for a moment I almost 
forget the horrible truth — when the eyes smile 
back at me just as they used to do when we had 
some joke together.” 

“ As they will again,” finished Virginia. 

They went into the room of the portrait and 
stood before it in silence. Each one felt that its 
look was for her. 

“And yet,” Madeleine said, as if answering a 
question, “ there must be someone who thinks of 
us, and remembers us with kindness, giving him 
at least the benefit of a doubt; someone who talked 
to you of Max and told you the story of — of his 
so-called crime in such a way as not to fill your 
mind w T ith horror.” 


54 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ No one has told me the story yet,” hesitated 
Virginia. “ I have only heard hints. They said — 
the word — murder! But that is not the face of a 
murderer. How could anyone believe it?" 

“ You don’t know — the story? ” 

Virginia shook her head. 

“When you know it, you will turn away from 
us, as everyone else has.” 

“ No — no ! Be sure I will not.” 

“ How can I be sure ? Ah, almost all the solace 
of hope has gone now! You will hear the horrible 
details, and — that will be the end.” 

Virginia caught the slender, cold fingers that 
twisted together nervously. “Tell me yourself,” 
she cried. “ Tell me all — you, his sister. Then 
you will see how I shall bear it, and whether I 
shall fail you.” 

“I will!” 

Madeleine Dalahaide’s breath came unevenly. 
For a moment she could not speak. Then she be- 
gan, her eyes not on Virginia, but on the portrait. 

“ There was a woman,” she said in a low, choked 
voice. “ She was an actress. Max was in love 
with her, or thought he was. She was handsome. 
I have seen her on the stage. Other men besides 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 55 

Max were mad about her. But she seemed to care 
for him. He wanted to marry her, and when father 
and mother didn’t approve, he quarrelled with them, 
for the first time in his life. We had always been 
so happy before that — so united. Everything be- 
gan to go wrong with my poor Max then. He 
played cards at his club, and lost a great deal of 
money. And as if that were not enough, father’s 
losses came. He could do nothing for Max. Be- 
sides, the woman Max loved made him jealous. He 
suspected that she cared for somebody else. He 
told me that the last time I saw him before — the 
terrible thing happened. But he didn’t tell the 
man’s name. Perhaps he didn’t know him. We 
had a long talk, for I had been his friend and con- 
fidante through all. I didn’t want him to marry 
the woman; but even that would be better than to 
have him miserable, as he said he must be without 
her. And it was the next night that the murder 
was committed. But it was not known until the day 
after.” 

“ Was it * — the man of whom he was jealous who 
was murdered ? ” 

“ No, the woman, Liane Devereux. She had 
been shot — in the face. Oh, it was horrible! It 


56 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


is horrible now, to talk to you of it. Her features 
were so destroyed that she could be recognized 
only by her hair, which was golden-red, and her 
figure — her beautiful figure, which all the world 
admired so much. Even her hands — she must 
have held them up before her face, the poor crea- 
ture, instinctively trying to save herself, to preserve 
her beauty, for they, too, were shattered. Her 
jewels were all gone, and she had had many jewels. 
Soon the police discovered that they had been 
pawned. And Max was accused of pawning them, 
to get money to pay gambling debts.” 

“ How could they accuse him of that ? 99 

“ He really had pawned them, at her request. 
She wanted money, and would not listen to his 
objections to getting it in that way. He had 
pawned them on the day of the murder, and still had 
the tickets, which he had forgotten to enclose with 
the money for the jewels, when he sent it to Madem- 
oiselle Devereux. She had asked him to pawn the 
things in his name, so that hers could be protected, 
and, of course, that went dreadfully against Max. 
He couldn’t possibly prove, when the woman was 
dead, that he had pawned the jewels for her, be- 
cause the money he had raised had disappeared. He 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 


57 


would have taken it to her himself, but on returning 
to his own flat from the pawnbroker’s he received 
a strange letter saying that she hated him, and never 
wished to see him again. It was all quite sudden, 
and Max was angry. Still, he might have gone, in- 
sisting that she should tell him what she meant by 
such a letter, but he had arranged a hurried journey 
to England. They arrested him on the way. He 
was going there in the hope of borrowing some 
money from his godfather, a cousin of ours, who 
had told Max that if at any time he should be in 
difficulties he must apply to him. But what proof 
had Max of his own intentions? Everyone 
thought that he was escaping to England to hide 
himself, after having committed a cowardly mur- 
der. 

“ There were other bits of evidence against him, 
too ; for instance, the revolver with which the 
woman was shot was his, with a silver monogram 
on it. Everybody — even the best of his friends — 
believed him guilty. And father — poor father ! — 
but I can’t talk about that part. It is too cruel. 
Oh, you are pale, and changed! I knew it would 
be so. You are like the rest. But how could I 
expect anything else when you have heard such a 


58 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


story ? Everything against him — nothing in his 
favour. Even Max himself was dazed. Over and 
over again he said that he had no explanation to 
give of the mystery.” 

“ There is only one explanation, since he was in- 
nocent — and T m as sure of that as before,” said 
Virginia firmly. “ It was a diabolically clever plot, 
planned with fiendish ingenuity, to ruin your brother 
— all your family, perhaps.” 

“ Hundreds of times I have thought of that,” 
sighed Madeleine Dalahaide. “ Many, many times 
I spoke of it to the man who defended Max at his 
trial. But there was no one it would be reasonable 
to suspect. We had absolutely no enemy. Max 
had none. Everybody adored him — in his happy 
days.” 

“ The man whom Liane Devereux loved better 
than your brother ? ” 

“Ah, but you must see, as the advocate saw, 
that if she loved the other better he had no motive 
either to kill the woman or ruin Max. Where 
there had been no injury, there need be no revenge. 
And if Max knew who the man was, he never told 
his name.” 

“There was nobody — nobody who had a right 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 


59 

to think himself injured by your brother, even 
long before? ” 

“Not by my brother, so far as we could find 
out. The theory of a plot was advanced, of course, 
and — and I clung to it; but it fell to the ground. 
There seemed nothing to support it.” 

“ And yet, from the way you speak, I can’t help 
thinking that you suspect someone.” 

“ Oh, I! But I am only a woman. I was a 
very young girl then. Everyone I spoke to — even 
Max — thought my idea a mad one, and said it 
would do our case far more harm than good to 
have it mentioned.” 

“ Tell me, won’t you, what it was? ” 

Madeleine hesitated. “ I dare not,” she answered. 
“ My reason says that the thing is impossible. If 
I wrong a man, it would be shameful to create a 
prejudice in your mind against one, no doubt a 
stranger to you, but whom you might one day meet, 
and, meeting, remember my words. Besides, it can 
do no good to speak. It would be hopeless to prove 
anything against him, even if his hand had been in 
a plot.” 

“ Yet you said that your brother had no en- 
emy ? , * > 


6o THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ This man was my enemy. It had not always 
been so. Once we were friends. But — something 
happened, and afterwards I think he hated me.” 

“ Is it possible that you are speaking of the 
Marchese Loria ? ” 

The question sprang from Virginia’s lips before 
she had stopped to reflect whether it were wise to 
ask it, and she was terrified at the effect of her 
impulsive words. 

Madeleine Dalahaide’s pale, sad face became 
ashen, her great eyes dilated, and there was some- 
thing of fear, perhaps even of distrust, in the look 
she turned upon Virginia. 

“ You know him? ” she exclaimed, her voice sud- 
denly sharp. 

“ Yes,” admitted the American girl. 

“ Then I think that you and I cannot be friends.” 

“ Not friends? But if I give up the Marchese 
Loria for you ? ” 

“ I do not ask or wish you to do that.” 

“ If he is your enemy he shall not be my friend.” 

“ I have not said he was my enemy.” 

“ I have heard that he loved your brother dearly.” 

“ Perhaps.” 

“ And yesterday — ” 


THE STORY TOLD BY TWO 61 


“ What of yesterday ?” 

“ He was with us when we rode into the valley. 
He turned pale, and begged not to come, because 
the place, he said, was connected with a great sor- 
row in his life.” 

“ He would not meet me face to face ! Did he 
suggest that you should try to save my brother? ” 

“ No, he did not speak his name before me. He 
does not know what is in my mind. No one knows 
yet but you. It was my cousin, Roger Broom, who 
met you long ago, and told me that the Marchese 
Loria had done much to save your brother’s life.” 

“ It may be that he did. I don’t deny it. But 
if you are to be my friend I ask you this : say noth- 
ing of Maxime Dalahaide to Loria.” 


CHAPTER III 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 
ADY GARDINER stood at Virginia’s door, 



JL/ remained for a moment undecided, then 
tapped gently. The girl’s voice answered “ Come 
in ! ” and Kate obeyed. 

Virginia sat at a small writing-table in a window 
reading a book; but at sight of Lady Gardiner she 
snatched up a paper and hastily laid it over the 
volume. “ Oh, I thought it was George,” she ex- 
claimed, blushing brilliantly. “ He has asked me 
to take a walk.” 

“ Now,” thought Kate, “ what has that book she’s 
hiding from me to do with the mystery that’s been 
going on for the past three days ? ” But, aloud, 
she said, without appearing to notice the hurried 
movement or the tell-tale blush : “ I came to ask 

if you would go down to the town with me for a lit- 
tle shopping.” 


62 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 63 


“ I’m afraid I can’t/' Virginia answered. “ You 
see — er — I promised George.” 

“ Perhaps he wouldn’t mind if we arranged for 
him to meet us in about an hour; and we might 
all three have tea together at Rumpelmayer’s.” 

Virginia looked embarrassed, which was unusual 
for her. “ We didn’t think of going into Men- 
tone,” she said. “ We shall just stroll about, for 
the fact is, we’ve business to talk over.” 

“ You seem to have had a great deal of business 
to talk over these last few days, you and Mr. 
Trent and Sir Roger. Would it be indiscreet to 
ask, dear child, if there has been any hitch about 
the purchase of your new toy? Oh, don’t look 
vexed ! — your chateau, then ? ” 

“ No, there’s been no hitch. What made you 
think that? ” 

“Well, business talks are so new for you. A 
little while ago you fled from the first hint of 
business. But now — you are very much changed 
these last few days, since we went to the chateau, 
Virginia. I’ve been wanting to speak to you about 
it. However, you are going out to walk, and I 
must wait.” 


64 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


Virginia met her eyes firmly; yet the violet gaze 
was not quite as frankly open and childlike as it 
used to be. “You needn’t wait, if your shopping 
can,” she said. “ Do sit down. I daresay it may be 
twenty minutes before George comes for me. He’s 
with Roger — somewhere.” 

“ Yes, I saw them. Virginia, do you know, I’ve 
been rather unhappy for several days? ” 

“ I didn’t know. I’m very sorry. Is it anything 
I’ve done ? ” 

“ Yes and no.” Kate did not sit down, but 
perched on the arm of a big, cushioned chair be- 
tween the writing-desk and the dressing-table. 
“ You see, dear,” she went on in her softest voice, 
to which she could give a pretty, tearful tremolo 
at will, “ I’m in rather a peculiar position. You 
have been so sweet all this year and more that we’ve 
been together, that I suppose you’ve spoilt me. I’ve 
forgotten often that I’m only a paid chaperon, and 
have felt like a friend and confidante.” 

“ Why, so you are,” returned Virginia. 

“Wait, dear; let me finish. I’ve told you my 
various troubles, and you’ve told me things, too. 
Now, suddenly, everything is changed. Why, you 
even sit in your bedroom, instead of in our sitting- 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 65 

room, or on the balcony with me, as you used. You 
don’t seem to want my society; you make excuses 
if I suggest going anywhere. You and your broth- 
er and cousin are continually getting away by your- 
selves and talking in whispers. Oh, I’m not hurt. 
It isn’t that. I’m not so thin-skinned and stupid. 
But I’ve been thinking that perhaps I’d offended 
you, or you were simply tired of me, and, being 
kind-hearted, didn’t like to send me about my busi- 
ness. You know, dear, if you would rather have 
anyone else — ” 

“ Oh, Kate, you are stupid ! ” cried Virginia. 
“ Of course I’m not tired of you. We really have 
had business — not about the chateau. I — didn’t 
mean to tell you until things were more settled, but 
since you’ve been talking like this, I will. I’ve dis- 
covered lately that I’m tired of the Riviera, heav- 
enly as it is here. We’ve been a month now — ” 

“ I always told you that Monte Carlo was more 
amusing, while as for Cannes — ” 

“ But I’ve seen enough of the Riviera for a 
while. ,, 

“ What about your chateau, then — your chateau 
in the olive woods that you so adore ? ” 

“ That won’t be ready until next winter. There’s 


66 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


lots to be done. And — I’ve set my heart on a 
yachting trip.” 

Kate Gardiner’s face fell. She was a wretched 
sailor, and Virginia knew it. Even the crossing 
from Dover to Calais was torture to her on a calm 
day. 

“ A long yachting trip ? ” she asked, controlling 
her voice. 

“ I don’t quite know yet. Some weeks, perhaps. 
The only difficulty is about you.” 

Kate did not answer for a moment. Was this 
an excuse to get rid of her, and if so, why? Could 
it be that Roger Broom had been warning Virginia 
that her half-brother was in danger of making a 
fool of himself about a woman many years his 
senior? A short time ago she might have believed 
that this was the explanation, for Roger Broom 
knew a good deal about Lady Gardiner. He was 
aware that her dead husband was but a City man, 
knighted when he was sheriff; that she had been 
governess to the gruff old widower’s one daughter; 
that she had married him for his money, and spent 
it freely until what remained was lost in a great 
financial panic; that since then she had lived as she 
could, trading upon her own aristocratic connec- 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 67 


tions, to chaperon girls, chiefly Americans, who 
wished to see “ English society from the inside. ,, 
Roger knew her real age, or something near it; he 
knew that she had been in debt when she had got 
this chance with Virginia, to whom she had been 
recommended by an American duchess ; and as there 
was nothing against her character, he had been too 
good-natured — as she would have expressed it — 
to “ put a spoke in her wheel/' However, if he sus- 
pected designs upon George, he might not have con- 
tinued to be as discreet ; but during these last three 
days of mysterious confabs, George Trent had ap- 
peared as much changed towards her as his half- 
sister had, so that Roger need have had no new: 
fears for him. George had never ceased to be 
courteous, but there was a subtle difference in his 
manner, in his way of looking at her. He appeared 
preoccupied; he no longer sought her out. And 
this alternation had only come about since the day 
when they had visited the Chateau de la Roche. 

Perhaps, then, it was George who was tired of 
her? He had never been the same since he had 
seen that girl in black, with the tragic eyes, and 
the dead-white face, with no more life in it than 
a marble statue. Maybe he was planning to at- 


68 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


tach that girl to the party in some way, and would 
find the society of the woman with whom he had 
flirted a constraint. 

At this thought Kate Gardiner felt her blood 
grow hot. It was unbearable that she should be 
sent out of George Trent’s life to make room for 
a younger woman. She would not have it — she 
would not! If it killed her to go on this hateful 
yachting trip she would go; she would not be 
whistled down the wind. 

“ Oh, if the difficulty is only about me,” she 
said sweetly, “ it needn’t be a difficulty at all. I 
daresay I shall be ill for a few days, but it can’t 
last forever. I shall simply stop in my state-room 
until I am fit to lie in a deck-chair and be a more 
or less interesting invalid.” 

As she spoke she watched Virginia’s face through 
half-lowered lashes, and was certain that it changed. 
There could no longer be any doubt on that sub- 
ject. For some reason Virginia did not want her 
on the yacht. 

“ I should hate you to be a martyr,” said the 
girl uncomfortably. “ Roger and I have been 
thinking it over, and I was wondering, in case we 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 69 

went (nothing is actually decided yet), whether 
you would like to wait here. I would keep on 
your room and the sitting-room, and the victoria, 
and you should have my maid and your own horse. 
Your income would be the same as always, of 
course; and you have a lot of friends here, so you 
wouldn’t be lonely.” 

“ How sweet and thoughtful you are, dearest 
child!” exclaimed Kate gratefully; while within 
she was saying, “ Oh, so this is the game, is it ? 
Come now, at least you’re showing your hand. 
Roger and you have been ‘ talking things over ’ ? 
You seem to have thought out the details pretty 
well; and I’m to be bribed. But it won’t work, 
my love, it won’t work.” She rose, and going to 
Virginia, took her hand, looking affectionately down 
at the beautiful face. “ You are always ready to 
sacrifice yourself for me. But what would you do 
for a chaperon if I stopped behind ? ” 

“Oh, you see, George and Roger and I would 
be all the party on board. Surely George is chap- 
eron enough ? ” 

“ Poor Marchese ! ” murmured Kate. “ I’m 
afraid he also is suffering from an eclipse.” 


70 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ I don’t know what you mean,” said Virginia, 
her colour deepening. “ Why should he expect an 
invitation to go with us ? ” 

“ Ah ! why ? Unless, indeed, he had hopes that 
he was soon to be given some rights over you. 
Only the other day I used to fancy that you and 
he were half engaged.” 

“We never were. I — I found him rather in- 
teresting. But I don’t think I have behaved very 
badly. I really meant — oh, I don’t know what 
I meant then; but I know I don’t mean it now. 
The Marchese Loria is the last person I should 
wish to have go on this yachting trip, and as it’s 
only us three, we’ll chaperon each other.” 

“ Can it be that she means to marry Roger 
Broom after all?” Kate Gardiner asked herself. 
“To my certain knowledge, she’s refused him. I 
heard him reminding her of it the other night. 
But one never knows how many times a girl may 
change her mind. The more I think of it the 
more determined I am to be of the party on that 
yacht.” 

“Unless I should be one too many, I’d really 
love to go,” said she aloud. “ I must get over my 
horror of the sea. Mayn’t I be with you, dear, 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 71 

if you have really made up your mind ? Eve grown 
so fond of you. I should feel deserted here.” 

“ Even for a few weeks ? ” 

“ Even for a few weeks. When you marry, or 
go home to the States, I must lose you, but do let 
me be with you as long as I can.” 

“ You shall go if you really wish to so much,” 
said Virginia, trying in vain not to appear con- 
strained. “ Only I warn you, you may find that 
you’ve made a mistake.” 

“ Why, how seriously you speak. One would 
think you meditated a voyage to the North Pole. 
Probably, though, you’ll simply linger about in the 
Mediterranean; go to Naples, Greece, perhaps, and 
Egypt?” 

“ Something of the sort, I suppose,” Virginia 
answered, dropping her eyes and playing with the 
paper she had used to conceal her book. “ It’s 
rather vague at present. Roger and George are 
looking for a yacht. We’ll talk of it again later. 
I only mentioned it now to show you that we’ve 
really had business. And by the way, Kate, Ed 
rather you didn’t say anything about it yet to 
people outside. It seems like making it of so much 
importance, and Ed hate being asked three times 


72 iTHE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


a day: ‘Well, when do you start on that yachting 
trip?’” 

“ I shall be discreet, never fear,” replied Kate, 
more sure than ever that some mystery which she 
could not fathom hid itself under this new plan 
of Virginia’s. “ And now for something else I 
wanted to ask you. Do, like a dear, good girl, 
lend me ten pounds. You know how stupidly hard 
up I always am. I’ll pay it back in a few days.” 

Virginia was on her feet in an instant and at 
the dressing-table, rummaging among scented laces 
and pretty odds and ends for the gold-netted purse 
with “V. B.” on it in brilliants. For a moment 
her back was turned, and during that moment 
Kate Gardiner, standing close to the desk which 
the girl had left, noiselessly raised a corner of the 
paper and peered underneath. The book which 
Virginia had been reading lay open. It was French, 
and at the top of the page Kate saw the word 
“ Noumea.” She dared look no longer but let 
the paper drop, and had wheeled round with her 
back to the desk just as Virginia found the purse. 

“ Thank you so much,” purred Lady Gardiner, 
who knew from experience that Virginia would 
beg her not to give back the money, and that, 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 73 


with a grateful kiss, and perhaps a tear or two, 
she would allow herself to be persuaded. 

At this instant there came a knock at the door 
leading into the sitting-room, which Kate had left 
half-open on entering, and George Trent appeared, 
looking excited and eager. His eyes fell upon 
Virginia, and he began to speak before he had 
seen Lady Gardiner, standing at a little distance 
and out of his view at the door. 

“ I say, Virgie,” he exclaimed, “ the most 
ripping piece of luck. We can get hold of a steam 
yacht with four cannon — toys, but fit for work — 
only you’ll have to buy, not hire ” 

He stopped short, a look passing between him 
and Virginia, quick as a flash of light, yet not too 
quick to be seen by Kate. 

“ Good ! ” said the girl. “ Well, we’ll talk about 
it as we walk. Kate’s going shopping.” Evidently 
she intended to change the subject, but Lady Gardi- 
ner was not ready for another. 

“ Mercy ! Are you fitting out as pirates ? ” she 
demanded, laughing. 

George Trent flushed with annoyance under her 
unsparing eyes, but he smiled carelessly and shrug- 
ged his shoulders. 


74 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

“ Oh, you mean the cannon ? They happen to 
be there. It wouldn’t be worth while to have the 
yacht dismantled. I think myself they’d give dis- 
tinction. It isn’t everybody who goes yachting in 
such conditions.” 

“ Indeed, no. I only wish we may have a chance 
to use them. Perhaps we may, if we can get far 
enough up the Nile. You see, Virginia has told 
me of the trip and promised that I may go. I 
hope you don’t mind.” 

Of course George said that it would be charming 
to have her on board, and he opened the sitting- 
room door when she went out, making the neces- 
sary agreeable remarks about her shopping expedi- 
tion. But when the door had closed after Lady 
Gardiner, and Virginia had joined him in the sitting- 
room, he was no longer smiling. 

“ So we’re to have another passenger, are we ? ” 
he said in a low voice. 

“ She says she wants to go, but she may change 
her mind. You know what a wretched sailor she 
is. Perhaps even after starting she’ll think better 
of it and beg to be put off at the nearest port. I 
had to tell her about the yacht, for she was so 
inquisitive concerning the business that has occu- 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 75 

pied you and Roger and me for the past three 
days. But she has promised not to say anything 
outside till she has permission/’ 

“ How much does she know? ” 

“ Nothing at all, except that I’m tired of the 
Riviera and want to go yachting somewhere — 
almost anywhere.” 

“ Sure she doesn’t suspect ? ” 

“ How could she?” 

“ Well, I suppose she couldn’t. And as far as 
I’m concerned, I don’t see why we shouldn’t trust 
her as if she were one of ourselves; a nice, jolly 
little woman, with no harm in her. What motive 
could she possibly have for blocking our game ? ” 
“What indeed? But you know I said so to 
Roger, and he vowed he’d have nothing to do with 
it if anyone knew except you and Madeleine Dala- 
haide and me. He wouldn’t hear of poor Kate’s 
being told, though I assured him one might trust 
her. It was all I could do to get him to promise us, 
anyway.” 

“ How did you get him to, by-the-by ? He 
poured whole cataracts of ice-water on the scheme 
at first.” 

“I — I — suppose I wheedled.” 


76 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

“ Virgie ! I’ll bet you said you’d marry him if 
he’d go in with us ! ” 

“ I didn’t — exactly say I wouldn't” 

“ Poor old Roger ! Shall you be cad enough to 
chuck him afterwards? ” 

“ Oh, I couldn’t do that. I shall be so grateful 
to him for this, that I shall feel no reward could be 
too great for him — that is, if we succeed. He is 
a dear, kind fellow, and I have often made him 
unhappy. I’ve always thought, somehow, that I 
should end by marrying him.” 

“ Yet you’ve refused him three times.” 

“ That was to put off the evil day.” 

“ And you came jolly near accepting Loria.” 

“ Did I really, do you think ? It seems so long 
ago, I can hardly remember. Anyway, everything 
is different now.” 

“ I’m with you there. By Jove, what a funny 
world this is ! What will Roger say when he hears 
that Kate Gardiner is bent on going? If he con- 
sents to her being on board, I don’t see why he 
should go on refusing to take Miss Dalahaide.” 

“ That’s not the same thing at all. One can 
never do things quite secretly. They always leak 
out. Already it has got into the papers somehow 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 77 


— I suppose through that stupid agent — that I 
have bought the Chateau de la Roche, and interest 
has been revived in the Dalahaide story. It’s un- 
fortunate that people should begin to talk again 
just now! And then if on top of all this, should 
come the news that we’d taken Madeleine Dala- 
haide off with us on a mysterious yachting expedi- 
tion, what would be said? Roger is quite right.” 

“ It seems cruel that she should be left out of 
it.” 

“ It would be more cruel to have her in, and 
perhaps ruin everything. She feels that herself, 
though, of course, it’s hard. Still think how awful 
for her if — we failed! But I will not think of 
that. There’s no such word as fail ! ” 

“ According to Roger, there’s no such word as 
success. He’s absolutely hopeless, and is only go- 
ing into the adventure to please you — to win you, 
perhaps. And, by Jove, it will be an adventure! ” 
“ Tell me about the yacht you’ve heard of.” 
They went out together, walking among the pine 
trees surrounding the hotel; and meanwhile Kate 
Gardiner had driven into the bright little town of 
Mentone, with its background of mountains, its 
foreground of blue-green sea. In the neighbour- 


78 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


hood of the shops, she sent away her victoria, which 
was to pick her up at Rumpelmayer's at five o'clock. 
She was charmingly dressed, and had secured ten 
pounds with which to buy an exquisite antique 
Italian watch which had taken her fancy a day 
or two before; never had there been so little need 
to worry about the future from a pecuniary point 
of view; still, Kate was not happy. She had lost 
interest in the watch, lost interest in her shopping 
expedition altogether, and was lingering outside the 
jeweller's, wondering whether she should spend 
the ten pounds as she had planned or not, when 
a man's voice at her shoulder made her turn. It 
was the Marchese Loria ; and Lady Gardiner 
noticed, as the sun streamed full into his face 
when he took off his hat, that he looked sallow and 
haggard. 

He was staying at the Cap Martin also, but they 
had not seen each other that day, and now it 
struck Kate that he was surprisingly changed since 
the afternoon when they had so gaily ridden off 
to find the Valley of the Shadow. She was certain 
that, for some reason which puzzled her sorely, 
Loria had completely lost his chance with Virginia, 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 79 

and because his interests no longer threatened her 
own, she felt more friendly towards him. They 
both seemed to be rather left out in the cold, and 
she found herself suddenly sympathising with the 
Italian. 

He was quick to note the unusual cordiality of 
her smile, and was curious as to its motive, for 
Loria knew that Lady Gardiner was one of the 
few women who never act without one ; and he had 
been fully aware that she did not favour his cause 
with Virginia Beverly. 

“ Has something in this window caught your 
fancy?” he inquired, stopping and joining her. 

Kate pointed to a serpent belt, crusted with dia- 
mond scales, emerald-eyed, and having its open 
mouth lined with rubies. " Isn’t that lovely ? ” she 
asked. “ An antique, of course ; everything is in 
this window. I daren’t look at it. It’s far beyond 
my means.” 

“ I’m thinking of buying it myself,” said Loria 
calmly. “ I mean to give it to a woman I know, 
as a little souvenir of my gratitude for very great 
kindness.” 

“ Lucky woman ! ” exclaimed Kate enviously, for 


8o THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


she really wanted the diamond snake. “ She must 
have done you some tremendous favour to have 
earned that.” 

“ She hasn’t done anything yet. But I hope she 
will. I hope very much that she will tell me certain 
things I’m anxious to know, and afterwards help 
me, if necessary, to make use of the knowledge. 
I wonder if she will do it? ” 

There was now a meaning in his voice which 
could not be mistaken. Kate looked up quickly and 
met his eyes. For a long instant they gazed at 
each other, then she said : “ I think the woman 
would be foolish if she didn’t.” 

“ Will you come with me when I buy the thing? ” 
asked Loria. 

Kate smiled and flushed faintly through the white 
rose balm which gave an illusion of youth. They 
went in, and Loria asked to be shown the serpent 
belt from the window. 

A very old man, an Italian, brought the glitter- 
ing thing and laid it on a piece of black velvet, 
which he spread as a background on the counter. 

“ It is only two thousand francs,” he announced, 
“ and it has a history. Perhaps I am indiscreet 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 81 


to mention it, but it may add to the interest, and 
I see that the illustrious Signor is a countryman 
of my own. This jewel was an heirloom in a 
very ancient family; but great misfortunes over- 
took them some years ago. The heir was accused 
of crime, and banished for life to Noumea. They 
were forced to sell everything of value.” 

Loria was ghastly. With an instinctive gesture 
of horror, he pushed the velvet away, not touching 
the serpent and averting his eyes. 

“ Let us choose something else,” he said hoarsely 
to Lady Gardiner. But she was merciless. He 
had as much as offered her the belt, and she would 
not give it up easily. 

“ There is nothing else half as pretty or quaint,” 
she said. “ I think this bit of history makes it all 
the more interesting.” 

Loria did not look again at the serpent glitter- 
ing on its black velvet cushion, but, having hesitated 
for a barely perceptible space, he abruptly ordered 
the jeweller to send the belt to his hotel, where it 
would be paid for on delivery. Kate decided that, 
as she was in such a vein of luck, she would have 
the watch she fancied, and keep the Marchese 


82 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


while she made the purchase. Half maliciously she 
said to the shopkeeper : “ I suppose this pretty 

thing has no such story as the other ? ” 

“ Rather strangely, madame has chosen another 
heirloom disposed of by the same family,” re- 
turned the man, as he placed the old blue-enamelled 
watch in a box filled with pink cotton. It seemed 
as if Fate persisted in linking them with these 
Dalahaides ! 

Loria did not speak, but Kate’s observant eyes 
saw that the gloved hand nearest her closed tightly 
on the stick it held. A moment later, she had 
paid for her purchase, and they were out in the 
street again. 

“ You look very down,” she remarked. “ I be- 
lieve you must have been losing a lot at Monte, 
and that a little sympathy and good advice would 
do you good. I meant to go to Rumpelmayer’s 
presently, but suppose we go now and have tea 
together? ” 

Neither he nor she had said in so many words 
that there was to be a bargain between them; but 
Loria understood what the suggestion of a tete-a- 
tete at Rumpelmayer’s meant, and augured well of 


A MYSTERY AND A BARGAIN 83 


Kate’s genuine goodwill, by her readiness to give 
the opportunity he wanted. 

She was curious, he labouring under suppressed 
excitement, and they did not speak much as 
they walked. At the confectioner’s Loria chose a 
table in a corner, far from the few early customers 
who had already arrived. It was not yet four 
o’clock, and the rooms would not begin to be 
crowded for half an hour. In that time much could 
be said, much, perhaps, planned for the future. 


CHAPTER IV 


THE CLOSED DOOR 
HE Marchese Loria ordered tea, and the two 



A newly made allies pretended to have no more 
important business than eating and drinking. But 
certain that nobody was within hearing distance, 
Loria squandered little time in frivolities. At any 
moment someone they knew might come in and 
interrupt their talk. 

“ You said that I looked ‘ very down/ ” he began 
abruptly. “ That is cool English for broken 
hearted, no doubt. I’m half mad, I think, Lady 
Gardiner. For four nights I haven’t slept; for 
three days I’ve scarcely eaten. You know why; 
there’s no use in wasting words on explanation.” 

“ You love her so much? ” exclaimed Kate. 

“ I love her so much. You believe me? ” 

“Yes; for you have the reputation of being a 
rich man, and it can’t be all a bubble, or you 


84 


THE CLOSED DOOR 85 

wouldn’t buy eighty-pound presents — for grati- 
tude, and rather premature gratitude at that.” 

“ Ah, the gift hasn’t been made yet.” 

“ I fancy it will be made. And the principle is the 
same. You can’t be a fortune-hunter, like many 
agreeable, titled countrymen of yours whom I have 
met.” 

“ If a man began by seeking out Miss Beverly 
as a fortune-hunter, he would end by being her 
lover. She is the most beautiful girl on earth, 
and — the most maddening. I think I shall go mad 
if I am to lose her.” 

“ How you Italians can love — and hate ! ” 

“ Yes, we can hate also, it is true. There is no 
half way with us. Lady Gardiner, I used to think 
that you disliked me; but to-day you are different. 
I was as desperately in need of help as a drowning 
man, and I caught at the new look of kindness in 
your eyes, as such a man catches at a floating 
spar.” 

“ Perhaps it was the appeal in your eyes that 
called out the answer in mine,” said Kate, half 
believing that she told the truth; for there was 
a certain magnetic power in the man’s passion, 


86 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


which was, at least, sincere. “ What help can I 
give you ? ” 

“ First of all, you can answer a few questions. 
What have I done to change Miss Beverly so com- 
pletely ? ” 

“ Frankly, I don’t know. There’s something odd 
going on — something which interests her so much 
that she can think of nothing else.” 

“ The change began the day of — our ride. Our 
last ride! The last of everything worth having, 
it has been for me. She was angry because I was 
unwilling to go into — that valley. But afterwards, 
when she learnt how intimately I had been asso- 
ciated with the people at the chateau there, how 
could she blame me? I suppose she did learn the 
story?” 

“ She learnt something of it, I know, the night 
after we rode up the valley. You remember there 
was a dance? I had left my fan in our sitting- 
room, and ran up to find it. There was no light in 
the room, and Virginia and Sir Roger were on the 
balcony. Of course, I didn’t mean to listen, but I 
couldn’t find the fan at first, and I didn’t like to 
startle them by suddenly switching on the light, 
so I — er — I overheard a little of the conversation. 


THE CLOSED DOOR 


87 


Sir Roger was telling her the story of that unfor- 
tunate Maxime Dalahaide — why, Marchese, how 
you must have loved him! The very mention of 
his name turns you pale.” 

“ We were like brothers,” said Loria in a low 
voice. “ But go on. Did Sir Roger Broom men- 
tion me in connection with the story? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ The scoundrel ! That explains all, then. This 
is your honorable English gentleman, who tra- 
duces a man behind his back, to ruin him with the 
girl they both love! ” 

“ You do Roger Broom injustice. He defended 
you. Virginia thought that your friendship was 
not worth much, since you believed Maxime Dala- 
haide guilty, but Sir Roger assured her you had 
behaved exceedingly well.” 

“ H’m ! One knows what faint praise can do. 
Did he give her all the details of that loathsome 
story? ” 

“ No; he refused. I was rather sorry, as I was 
interested by that time. Besides, I had wanted 
to know, and I couldn't think of anyone it would 
be convenient to ask except Sir Roger or you.” 

“ I wish he had told her all! If he had, she 


88 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


would never have wished to hear of the Dalahaides 
again.” 

“ You speak bitterly of your old friends.” 

“I? No, you misunderstand. I mean only that 
a girl — a stranger — would be horrified if she 
could know the full details. It was a ghastly 
affair. I loved Max, but there was no excuse for 
him — none. And it would be better for Miss 
Beverly to have nothing to do with that family. 
They bring unhappiness to all who come near them. 
It is as if they were under a curse, which every- 
one connected with them must share. I can’t bear 
to think that so black a shadow should darken her 
sunlight. Already, you see, she has changed. She 
goes once to the Chateau de la Roche, and the spell 
falls upon her.” 

“ I’m not sure that she hasn’t been more than 
once,” said Lady Gardiner. 

“ Ah ! that was one of the things I wished to 
ask. You think so? ” 

“ I don’t know. The morning after we all went 
there she disappeared for hours, and would say 
nothing except that she had slept badly, got up 
early, and gone off for a ride. Whether Mr. Trent 
was with her or not I can’t tell, but when I first 


THE CLOSED DOOR 


89 


saw her, after looking everywhere, they were 
together, so absorbed in what they were saying that 
I believe if a revolver had been fired within a dozen 
yards of them they would hardly have heard it. 
At luncheon that same day, Sir Roger was telling 
her how he had seen the agent, and found out 
about the chateau, as it appears she had asked him 
to do — she has but to ask and to have, with him, 
you must know ! — and though she was pleased 
and interested to a certain extent, still, she seemed 
to be thinking of something else.” 

“ That something else! If I could find out what 
that was, I might know who is taking her from 
me.” 

“ I’m afraid it’s not as simple an affair to un- 
ravel as that; for I can tell you one of the things, 
at least, which was apparently occupying her 
thoughts at the time, yet I can’t quite see why 
or how it could have much to do with you. You 
remember, perhaps, that you came while we were 
at luncheon the day after our ride into the Valley 
of the Shadow, and proposed that we should all 
go to Monte Carlo on your motor-car, that we 
should spend the afternoon in the Casino, and dine 
with you at the Hotel de Paris ? Virginia said that 


90 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


she had important letters to write, and couldn’t go ; 
and her manner was rather distant.” 

“ It chilled my heart.” 

“Well, she asked Sir Roger and Mr. Trent to 
come up to her sitting-room after luncheon. 
Naturally, I was there too; I’ve been told to look 
upon the room as my own. She did not tell what 
she had been doing in the morning, but, wherever 
she had been, she had contrived to discover a good 
deal more about the Dalahaide story than Sir 
Roger had been willing to tell her the night before, 
and she announced boldly that, in spite of every- 
thing, she believed Maxime Dalahaide was innocent. 
She demanded of Roger — who has spent a good 
deal of time in France, you know, and is supposed 
to be well up in French law — whether it wouldn’t 
be possible to have the case brought up again, with 
the best lawyers in the country, expenses to be no 
object. When Roger had shown her that the thing 
couldn’t be done, and there was no use discussing 
it, she wanted him to say that by setting some 
wonderful detectives on the trail of the real crim- 
inal the truth might be discovered, and the man 
unjustly accused brought home in triumph from 
Noumea by a penitent Government. Sir Roger 


THE CLOSED DOOR 


9 * 

assured her that was hopeless. That, in the first 
place, Maxime Dalahaide wasn’t innocent, and that, 
in the second place, even if he were, his innocence 
would be still more impossible to prove after all 
these years than it would have been at the time of 
the trial. ,, 

“ What did she reply to that ? ” 

“ Nothing. She was silent and seemed im- 
pressed. She became very thoughtful. Since then 
I have not heard her say one word of the Dala- 
haides, except incidentally about the chateau, which 
she actually means to buy, and have restored in 
time to come to it, if she likes, next year. Now, 
I don’t see why her interest in the Dalahaides, if 
she continues to feel it, should interfere with her 
friendship for you.” 

Loria did not answer. He sat thinking intently, 
his dark eyes staring unseeingly out of the window. 
At last he spoke. “ Why — why should she in- 
terest herself in this cold-blooded murderer, whose 
best friends turned from him in horror at his crime? 
Is it pure philanthropy? Has the sister implored 
Miss Beverly to throw her money into this bottom- 
less gulf? What happened when you were at the 
chateau that day ? I never knew.” 


9 2 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“We thought that the subject was disagreeable 
to you,” said Kate. “We saw and spoke with Miss 
Dalahaide, a pale, cold girl, dressed in black, with 
a voice that somehow sounded — dead. She did 
not mention her brother, and seemed so reserved 
that I should think it would be difficult to break 
the ice with her. Indeed, she appeared very an- 
noyed at the necessity for showing us a little room 
with a life-size picture in it, which I fancied must 
be a portrait of the brother.” 

A curious shiver passed through Loria’s body. 

“ Miss Beverly saw that portrait ? ” he asked in 
a low, strained voice. 

“ Yes, and I noticed that she kept glancing at 
it again and again while we stopped in the room. 
I suppose a morbid sort of curiosity regarding 
a murderer is natural, even in a young girl, pro- 
vided his personality is interesting.” 

Once more Loria remained silent, his face set in 
hard lines. 

“ Such a man as Maxime Dalahaide must have 
been before his fall, would be a dangerous rival,” 
Lady Gardiner went on, with a spite of malice. 
She was watching Loria as she spoke, and thrilled 
a little at the look in his eyes as he turned them 


THE CLOSED DOOR 


93 


upon her. “ Oh, these Italians ! ” she thought. 
“ They are so emotional that they frighten one. 
Their passions are like caged tigers, and you never 
quite know whether the cage door is safely locked.” 

“ Maxime Dalahaide will never be dangerous to 
any man again on this earth — not even to him- 
self, since the worst has happened to him that can 
happen,” answered Loria. 

“ Strange if, although he is buried in a prison- 
land at the other end of the world, he might still, 
in a vague, dim way, be a rival to fear more than 
another,” Kate reflected dreamily. Aloud she went 
on : “ It seems ridiculous to say so, but I believe 
that Virginia is making a hero of him. She has 
never seen this man — she never can see him; yet 
his image — evolved from that portrait at the cha- 
teau which was his old home — may blur others 
nearer to her.” 

“ Great heavens! You believe that? ” 

“ I merely suggest it. The idea only occurred 
to me at this moment. But Virginia is certainly 
thinking of Maxime Dalahaide. To-day, she was 
reading a French book about Noumea. She hid 
it when I came into the room; but later I came 
across it by accident. Yes, she is thinking of him, 


94 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


but it is only a girl’s foolish, romantic fancy, of 
course — a spoilt child, crying for the moon, be- 
cause it’s the one thing that no adoring person can 
get for her. I shouldn’t worry about it much, if 
I were you. Indeed, perhaps she sees herself that 
she is not very wise, and wants to forget. Now she 
has set her heart on a yachting trip; but you 
must not speak of it to her or the others, for she 
asked me not to tell.” 

“ She gives me little enough chance to speak of 
anything. A short time ago she would not have 
cared for a yachting trip, unless I were to be of 
the party. Now, I suppose, her wish is to be rid 
of me.” 

“ Her wish is also to be rid of me.” 

“ You are not to go? ” 

“Not if Virginia can make a decent excuse to 
leave me behind.” 

“ Who, then, goes with her ? ” 

“ Her half-brother, and Sir Roger Broom. She 
isn’t even going to take a maid.” 

“ Heavens ! It is Sir Roger Broom, then, who 
will win her ! ” 

“ I don’t know what to think. She has refused 
him; he is many years older than she, and she 


THE CLOSED DOOR 


95 


has known him since she was a child, for Sir 
Roger went often to America while her father — 
his cousin — was alive. Why should she suddenly 
make up her mind to marry him? He was her 
guardian during her minority, or what remained 
of it after her father’s death; now she has had 
her one-and-twentieth birthday, and is her own 
mistress. I fancied that she intended to remain 
so for a time, unless she lost her head — or her 
heart — and Sir Roger, nice as he is, is scarcely 
the man to make a girl like Virginia Beverly do 
either. Still, I don’t understand the yachting trip. 
It is in every way mysterious; and since you have 
asked my advice, it is this : find out where they are 
going and appear there as if by chance. By 
that time our spoiled beauty’s mind may have 
changed.” 

“ Won’t you tell me where they are going? ” 

“ I would if I could.” This was true, since 
Kate was sure that, change as Virginia might, she 
would never return to her brief, ballroom fancy for 
the Italian. “ I hinted at Naples, Greece, and 
Egypt, and Virginia answered that it would be 
‘ something of the sort ’ — answered evasively, say- 
ing nothing was decided yet ; and so the conversation 


96 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


would have ended if George Trent hadn’t come 
bursting in, very excited, exclaiming before he saw 
me that he’d got hold of exactly the right steam 
yacht, with four cannon! y 

Loria started like a sensitive woman. “ A yacht 
with four cannon! What can they want with 
cannon ? ” 

“ I asked if they were fitting out for pirates, 
and Mr. Trent assured me that the cannon being 
on board was a mere accident; they would not 
have them removed, but they had no intention of 
making use of them. Still, there’s no doubt that 
there’s some mystery behind this yachting expedi- 
tion. I can’t make it out at all. Whether it is 
Mr. Trent’s plan ” 

“ But he would not wish to go without you.” 

“A few days ago, perhaps not. But others be- 
sides Virginia have changed. That day when we 
rode up the Valley of the Shadow, as they call it, 
was destined to be an eventful day for us all.” 

“ You mean ” 

“ I mean that George Trent is a different man 
since he went to the Chateau de la Roche.” 

A dark flush rose to Loria’s forehead. “ He met 


Madeleine Dalahaide ? ” 


THE CLOSED DOOR 


97 

“ One might think, from your expression and 
accent, that you were jealous.” 

“ One would think wrongly then. A man can’t 
be in love with two women at the same time.” 

“ Can’t he ? I wasn’t sure. Men are strange ; 
perhaps there’s something of the dog in the manger 
about them, at times. At all events, George Trent 
is much interested in the yachting trip, and he 
doesn’t want me to go. Perhaps Miss Dalahaide 
is to be of the party; and in that case I should 
be the odd woman. Not that it matters to me. 
George was pleasant to flirt with, but I should 
not marry again, unless I married money. Vir- 
ginia’s great fortune comes from her father, 
George’s step-father, who was jealous of the 
mother’s affection for the first husband’s son, and 
disliked him. George will accept nothing from 
Virginia, and has only what his mother could leave 
him — a miserable five thousand dollars a year.” 

Loria scarcely listened. His level black brows 
were drawn together. “ She was reading a book 
about Noumea,” he said slowly. “ What if — no, 
it is impossible — impossible ! ” 

“What is impossible? If I am to help you, 
you must have no secrets from me.” 


98 THE CASTLE OF. THE SHADOWS 


“ She could not hope, if she went there, to see 
him. Bah! The bare thought is monstrous/’ 

“ It is a little far-fetched,” said Kate. “ I should 
think the adventure they are undertaking will be 
no more startling than an attempt to reach the Sec- 
ond Cataract. The cannon might be needed there, 
you know.” 

“ That is true. But, Lady Gardiner, you must 
find out where they are going, and let me know. 
A hundred diamond serpents would not be enough 
to testify my gratitude. You mean to go with 
them? ” 

“ If they will take me.” 

“They must take you. They must! You are 
my only hope, the only link that will be left between 
me and Virginia Beverly. Listen! We are talk- 
ing frankly to each other, you and I. We never 
thought to be such friends — but we are friends, 
and must trust each other to succeed. You often 
speak, half- jestingly, of being poor. I have money 

I don’t say enough; who has enough? But I 
am not a poor man. Watch Virginia for me ; watch 
Sir Roger Broom. Let me know where this yacht 
is taking you, whom she carries, all that happens 
on board of her. Advise me, from what you see 


THE CLOSED DOOR 


99 


of passing events ; and for all these services, worth 
an inestimable sum to me, I will give you what I 
can afford — say, a thousand pounds. You shall 
have half down the day you start, and the other 
half the day that you return.” 

“ You are generous ; and — I will be loyal,” said 
Kate. “ It will not be my fault, I promise you, 
if the yacht sails without me. Now I must go. 
We must have been talking here for more than 
an hour, for Virginia’s carriage, which she lent 
me, has just driven up to the door. Whenever 
there is a new development of this mystery, which 
interests us both, you shall know it. I wish I 
could take you up to Cap Martin with me, if you 
are ready to go that way, but perhaps it would be 
wiser not — especially as the victoria isn’t my own.” 

Kate Gardiner had not been in the hotel an 
hour when a box was brought to her door by the 
Marchese Loria’s valet. Inside was the diamond 
serpent. She told herself that she had done a very 
good afternoon’s work.” 

Soon everyone knew that the American heiress 
and beauty, Miss Virginia Beverly, had bought, 
for twenty thousand pounds, the famous steam 


100 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


yacht which the mad Spaniard Prince d’ Almidares 
had used as a despatch boat at the time of the 
American war with Spain. For some time it had 
been for sale, lying in harbour at Nice; but it had 
been too costly a toy ; the cannon with which it was 
armed were worth only the price of old iron to 
most buyers of yachts. They were equally use- 
less to Miss Beverly and her party, as she and 
George Trent and Roger Broom impressed upon 
all who asked questions; but, then, what was the 
use in wasting time enough to dismantle the yacht, 
as she was wanted immediately, and the cannon 
were too cleverly concealed to injure the smart 
appearance of the little craft? 

It was given out that the Bella Cuba would 
touch at Greece, go on to Egypt, and perhaps visit 
Algiers and Lisbon, steaming at last up the Thames 
to Tilbury. Virginia Beverly ostentatiously bought 
thin summer clothing, saying that it would be sum- 
mer weather on the sea before she bade good-bye 
to the water. Still, Virginia announced that she 
did not wish to be bound down to a definite pro- 
gramme, and Kate Gardiner had to be satisfied 
with a prospect of vagueness if she intended to be 
of the party. 


THE CLOSED DOOR 


IOI 


Not for a single moment had she abandoned 
that intention. Even if she had not stood to earn 
a thousand pounds she would have moved heaven 
and earth to go, for more and more, as the days of 
preparation went on, her curiosity and excitement 
increased. 

Roger Broom, it was clear, had been intensely 
annoyed when he was informed that Lady Gardiner 
had so far overcome her fear of the sea, as to wish 
to be a passenger on the Bella Cuba. He had said 
little, but his face was expressive, and Kate was 
of opinion that he would have said a great deal 
more, had not some strong motive restrained him. 
Perhaps, she thought, this motive was fear of 
rousing her suspicions if he too emphatically ad- 
vocated her stopping behind. But — suspicions of 
what? That was the question she often asked her- 
self, and could never answer. 

She had asked it of Loria also, when they met — 
as secretly as if the bond between them had been 
a forbidden love. But, if the truth about the yacht- 
ing trip had been told, even he had no solution 
ready for the puzzle. 

At last the yacht, which had been repainted, 
was ready, the captain and crew of picked men, 


102 .THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


all Englishmen, were engaged, and the Bella Cuba 
steamed into the harbour at Mentone, exactly one 
month from the date (as Kate happened to remem- 
ber) of the eventful ride into the Valley of the 
Shadow. 

They were to start in two days, and Lady Gardi- 
ner's heart sank at the thought of all the physical 
suffering she was doomed to endure. Nevertheless, 
when Virginia hinted that, if she chose to think 
better of her decision, it was not yet too late, she 
courageously assured the girl that she was looking 
forward to the trip. She had always wanted to see 
Egypt! 

The yacht was swift, and had proved itself sea- 
worthy, but she was comparatively small, and when 
Kate went on board with Virginia to inspect the 
accommodation, she was surprised to be shown only 
five passenger cabins. Still, as she had been in- 
formed that there were to be but four in the party, 
she did not see why it would be impossible for 
Virginia's maid to go, and ventured to say as much. 

“ But we have decided to take a doctor,” ex- 
plained Virginia. “ We shall be so long at sea 
that otherwise it really wouldn’t be safe.” 

“ For my part I'd much rather have a maid than 


THE CLOSED DOOR 


103 


a doctor,” sighed Kate, to whom Virginia’s Celes- 
tine had made herself agreeably useful. “ We shall 
have nothing worse the matter with us than sea- 
sickness ; and how are we to do our hair ? ” 

Thus bemoaning her fate, she passed along the 
line of white and gold painted doors, and stopped 
suddenly at a sixth, the only one which was closed. 
Gently she tried the handle. It did not yield. 

“ One would think that this ought to be another 
cabin,” she remarked sweetly, “ else what becomes 
of the symmetry? Now, if only it were one, you 
might take Celestine. You’d be so much more 
comfortable.” 

“ That cabin can’t be used,” Virginia said, her 
eyes very bright, her cheeks very red. “ And if 
you want Celestine, Kate, you must stop on land.” 

Lady Gardiner at once protested that she was 
not thinking of herself; oh, indeed no! but merely 
of her dear girl, who was not used to being her 
own maid. She said no more of the locked door, 
but she could think of nothing else. Why could 
the cabin not be used, and why had Virginia sud- 
denly grown cross at the bare suggestion that it 
should be? Was it possible that Madeleine 
Dalahaide was going after all, that her presence 


104 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


was to be kept secret from Kate until the last 
moment, and that she was to have this state-room? 
Perhaps, Lady Gardiner’s jealous suspicion whis- 
pered, she was already in the cabin, and had locked 
herself in, fearing just such an intrusion as the 
turned key had prevented. 

That night she saw Loria, and told him pre- 
cisely what had happened on board. “ I shouldn’t 
wonder,’* she said reflectively, “ if the whole mys- 
tery of this trip were not on the other side of that 
closed door. Something tells me it is so.” 

“ When do you start? ” asked the Italian. 

“ To-morrow, at five in the afternoon.” 

“ Could you make an excuse to go on board in 
the morning alone? ” 

“ Yes. Celestine has taken most of our things on 
to-day, and put them away for us. We are not 
supposed to leave the hotel till three o’clock. But 
I could say I had lost something, and hoped that 
I’d left it on the Bella Cuba. Or perhaps I could 
slip on board without saying anything until after- 
wards. But what good would it do me ? The door 
isn’t likely to be unlocked; and I can see nothing 
through the keyhole. I tried this afternoon.” 

“ I will get you a key which, if there isn’t 


THE CLOSED DOOR 


105 


one already on the inside, will open the door/’ 

In the night Kate Gardiner had strange dreams 
of the locked cabin. Twenty times in her sleep she 
was on the point of finding out the secret, but al- 
ways woke before she had made it her own. She 
was up early in the morning and went out, saying, 
as if carelessly, to Celestine, that she must buy a 
few last things which she had forgotten. In the 
town she met Loria, as they had arranged overnight, 
and he put into her hand something in a sealed en- 
velope. 

“ You are sure this will do it? ” she asked. 

“ Sure,” returned the Italian. 

Then they parted; Kate took a small boat and 
was rowed out to the Bella Cuba, which lay an- 
chored not far from shore. 

“ I have come on board to look for a diamond 
ring which I think I dropped in my cabin yester- 
day,” she remarked to the captain. 

He turned away, all unsuspicious, and Kate hur- 
ried to the saloon off which the cabins opened. Al- 
ready she had broken the seal on the envelope, and 
taken out a small, peculiarly shaped steel implement. 
With a quick glance over her shoulder and a loud 
beating of the heart, she thrust the master-key into 
the lock of the closed door. 


CHAPTER V 

THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 


N O one was coming; Lady Gardiner dared to 
turn the key. The door opened, and she 
looked into the room beyond. 

It was a cabin, of the same size as the others, 
and fitted up as a state-room, but furnished and 
decorated very differently. The five which Kate 
had been shown yesterday were comfortable, but 
not particularly luxurious, and she had wondered, 
since this was ostensibly a pleasure trip, that beauty- 
loving Virginia had not thought it worth while to 
have her own cabin, at least, made more dainty. 

In the locked state-room, whose secret Kate was 
violating, the berth was hung with old brocaded 
silk of blue and silver, the curtains edged with 
curious thick lace, yellowed by time. On the floor 
lay a beautiful tiger-skin, covering it from end to 
end. A large fitted travelling-bag stood open on a 
cushioned seat, showing silver-topped bottles: and 
106 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 107 

the wall on one side of the cabin was almost hidden 
with photographs and sketches which had been 
tacked up, over a low book-shelf, filled with volumes 
in uniform binding of blue and gold. The photo- 
graphs were of places as well as people; and Kate 
had just identified the Valley of the Shadow, dom- 
inated by the Chateau de la Roche, when a sudden 
sound sent her out of the cabin and into the saloon, 
with her heart pounding and her nerves throbbing, 
in shamed fear of discovery. 

She had just time to lock the door and pass on 
to that of her own state-room when Celestine ap- 
peared, carrying various small parcels. She had 
been sent to the yacht by her mistress to finish a 
few preparations for the voyage, and was surprised 
to see Lady Gardiner. Kate, however, was pre- 
pared with her story of the lost ring, which no doubt 
Celestine would repeat to Virginia, and produced 
the jewel, saying that fortunately she had found 
it on the floor of her cabin. 

The maid had no suspicion, probably did not 
dream that the Bella Cuba had a secret to keep, 
and Lady Gardiner was rowed back to shore, con- 
fident that she had come safely out of the morning’s 
adventure. The mystery, however, remained a 


io8 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


mystery, except that Kate was certain now of one 
thing which she had only suspected. There was 
to be a passenger on board the Bella Cuba , whose 
expected presence had carefully been concealed from 
her. For this passenger elaborate preparations had 
been made. Everything behind that locked door 
was beautiful, but nothing was new. In the fleet- 
ing glimpse Kate had obtained before the sound of 
Celestine’s descending steps had sent her flying 
from her stolen inspection, she had been impressed 
with the feeling that the decorations of the state- 
room had all been taken from some other room, 
with the view of surrounding its occupant with 
old associations. 

Lady Gardiner hoped to see Loria before going 
back to the hotel, and an appointment had been 
made, to be kept as nearly to the time as possible; 
but he was not at Rumpelmayer’s, the place of meet- 
ing, and, astonished at his defection, she was obliged 
to return to the Cap Martin without the expected 
talk. In her room she found a line from the Ital- 
ian. Sir Roger Broom had seen him at Rumpel- 
mayer’s, he explained, and had joined him there. 
Fearing that Lady Gardiner might come in while 
they were together, he pleaded an engagement and 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 109 


went out, still accompanied by Broom. Now, Lo- 
ria asked, was it possible that Miss Beverly’s cousin 
suspected anything? Had Lady Gardiner been im- 
prudent and dropped the slightest hint of their new 
allegiance ? 

Kate had begun a note in reply, when Virginia 
knocked at her door, inquiring whether she were 
ready for luncheon. “ Wait for me just a moment 
in the sitting-room,” said the elder woman, and, her 
ideas confused in the necessity for haste, she merely 
scrawled : “ Don’t think Sir Roger or anyone sus- 

pects. Must have been an accident. Key worked 
well. I saw the cabin. It is ready for a passenger. 
I would wager that that passenger is Madeleine 
Dalahaide. Probably we shall not have a word to- 
gether in private now before we go, but will write 
you from every port, or wire if necessary and pos- 
sible.— K. G.” 

This note she. took down to the dining-room with 
her, and barely had a chance to press it into Loria’s 
palm as he bade her, with the others, a rather for- 
mal farewell. 

The Marchese was not one of those wbo went 
out to the yacht to see the last of the beautiful 
American girl and her party. Virginia had defi- 


no THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


nitely refused him now, and the old, pleasant in- 
timacy had been brought to a sudden end. Never- 
theless, he sent her flowers — a great basket of roses 
big enough to fill up half her state-room on the 
Bella Cuba — which she promptly gave to Kate, 
with various other elaborate offerings, keeping for 
her own cabin only a small bunch of fragrant violets 
sent by someone whose name she seemed to guess, 
although there was no card. 

So, at last, they were off; and no sad-faced girl 
in black had appeared. Besides the original party 
of four, there was only a little dark, keen-eyed Eng- 
lish doctor, taken from his practice in Mentone. He 
looked like a man who would know how to keep a 
secret, and Kate wondered whether the mystery of 
the Bella Cuba were a mystery to Dr. Grayle. 

“ Miss Dalahaide will come on board at Naples,” 
Kate said to herself when it became certain that 
they would stop there. “ She is well known in 
Mentone, no doubt, and didn’t wish it to leak out 
that she was going on this yachting trip.” 

But they arrived at Naples, sent off telegrams 
and letters, coaled, and left without taking on an- 
other passenger. Always it seemed to Kate that 
Virginia’s manner showed suppressed nervous ex- 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH hi 


citement. She was restless, capricious, took an in- 
terest in nothing for more than ten minutes to- 
gether. She had never been to Naples before, yet 
she appeared to grudge the two or three hours they 
spent in driving about, and would not listen to 
Kate’s suggestion that they should stop long 
enough for a visit to Pompeii. 

“ Next time,” she said evasively. Altogether, she 
had not at all the air of a young woman yachting 
for pleasure, as of course she must be, since what 
other object could the trip have? “ I am in a hurry 
to see Cairo,” she replied, when Lady Gardiner in- 
quired the reason of her impatience. 

After all, they did not touch at Greece, but went 
straight on to Alexandria, the sea being so calmly 
unruffled that even Kate had no excuse for illness. 
She might have been very happy in these long, lazy, 
blue-and-gold days, if George Trent had been his 
old self. But the frost which had withered the 
flower of his fancy for her that day in the Valley 
of the Shadow, had never thawed. He read and 
smoked a great deal, leaving Roger Broom to 
amuse Virginia and Lady Gardiner. 

Something went wrong with the engine the morn- 
ing when they expected to reach Alexandria, and 


1 12 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


Kate heard talk of a “ heated bearing on the crank- 
shaft/’ which might have to be taken off, thus de- 
laying them a couple of days. “ But a couple of 
days ! ” she exclaimed in surprise. “ Surely you 
mean to stop longer than that ! ” 

“We hadn’t thought of it,” answered Roger 
drily. 

“ Are you going up the Nile, then? ” 

“ No; the Bella Cuba is rather big, you know.” 

“ Not so big as the excursion boats that go, is 
she?” 

" Virginia doesn’t care about it, anyhow ; she 
loves the sea for its own sake, and hasn’t come as 
much for sight-seeing as for a complete rest. While 
the repairs are being done we shall run up to Cairo 
by rail, stop a night at the Ghezireh Palace, and 
drive out for a look at the Sphinx and the Pyra- 
mids.” 

“ You really are the most extraordinary people ! ” 
ejaculated Kate. “ I don’t know what to make of 
you.” 

Roger smiled, and was silent. He had the air 
of thinking it of small importance whether or not 
Lady Gardiner, who had insisted upon coming on 
this trip, knew what to make of her hosts and 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 113 

hostess. But, then, Sir Roger Broom had never 
more than tolerated this most charming of com- 
panions. 

Kate had kept the master-key which Loria had 
given her, and had never ceased to hope for an- 
other chance to investigate the locked state-room, 
which might, she told herself sometimes, have a 
hidden occupant. To be sure, so far as she knew, 
no other passengers had come on board at Naples; 
but, then, they had all been away from the yacht 
for several hours, and someone might have been 
smuggled into the cabin. With this fancy lurking 
in her mind, she would have given much for a sec- 
ond peep ; but she had never found a moment when 
it seemed safe to run the risk. 

She could imagine no reason, if Madeleine Dala- 
haide had come on board at Naples, beyond spying- 
distance of old acquaintances, why she should re- 
main hidden in the state-room, unless, indeed, there 
were some truth in Loria’s suggestion that the yacht 
was bound for New Caledonia, to take the girl out 
to her convict brother. In that case, perhaps, it 
might conceivably be necessary to keep the captain 
and crew in ignorance of her presence, lest they 
should gossip in port. Still, Virginia’s restlessness, 


1 14 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


her lack of interest in the beautiful places so easy 
to visit, her desire to remain on board when the 
Bella Cuba was in port, seemed to point to some 
peculiar motive under her indifference to all pleas- 
ures of the trip. 

In Alexandria, the girl “ did not see why they 
should pack up to stop a night in Cairo.” What 
if the crankshaft could be repaired sooner than they 
supposed ? Then they would be wasting time. But 
she was overruled, and just before sunset they drove 
up to one of the most beautiful hotels in the world. 

The evening chill was beginning to fall, yet many 
people still lingered on the huge terrace overlook- 
ing the Nile, where the “ winging ” sails of the 
little boats were pink and golden as mother-o’-pearl, 
reflecting the crimson glory of the sky. A woman 
sitting alone at a little table looked up as they 
passed, and with a slight start, Virginia half 
stopped, staring almost rudely at the face which 
was lifted for a moment. But it was only for a 
moment. 

The woman, who was exceedingly handsome, of 
the most luscious Spanish type of beauty, flushed 
under the American girl’s intent gaze, drew up a 
sable cape which had partly fallen from the shoul- 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 115 

ders of her white cloth dress, and turned a resent- 
ful back. 

“ What a handsome creature, but awfully made 
up ! ” whispered Kate, who had no mercy on her 
own sex. 

Virginia did not answer. She walked on, look- 
ing as if she had awakened from a dream. 

At dinner that night, next to the party from the 
yacht, was a small table laid for one. It was unoc- 
cupied until they had half finished dinner; then 
heads began suddenly to turn towards the door; 
people whispered, there was a perceptible, though 
scarcely definable thrill of interest, and a tall woman 
in sequined black tulle, glittering with diamonds, 
came slowly up the room. She must have known 
that all eyes were upon her, yet she appeared un- 
conscious. Her lashes were cast down as she moved 
towards a chair held obsequiously ready by a waiter 
at the little empty table, and their dusky length was 
not second even to Virginia’s. As the new-comer 
sat down, she faced Roger Broom. 

“ That woman’s face looks somehow familiar to 
me,” he said, “ yet I can’t think where, if ever, I 
have seen it. I suppose it can only be a chance 
resemblance to somebody or other.” 


ii 6 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


Virginia opened her lips to speak, but closed 
them again hastily. Kate then threw a question- 
ing glance her way, and saw that she had sud- 
denly grown pale. “ I wish you or George would 
find out who she is,” the girl said presently. “ She 
is one of the handsomest women I ever saw. If 
possible, I should like to know her.” 

“ I can promise that you shall at least know her 
name,” replied Roger, smiling. “ It wouldn’t be 
safe to say more.” And, true to his word, an hour 
after dinner he came to the private drawing-room 
where Virginia and Lady Gardiner sat, with the re- 
quired information. 

“ The strange beauty is a Portuguese countess,” 
he announced. “ Her name is De Mattos, and she 
is a widow, spending the winter here alone, except 
for her maid. She is much admired, especially by 
men, but apparently does not care to make ac- 
quaintances ; otherwise, as she seems to be a person 
whose name the gossips respect, your wish might 
perhaps have been gratified.” 

“ Have you remembered yet where you saw her 
before? ” 

“ I’ve remembered where I saw someone like her. 
But it is not the same woman.” 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 117 

“ You’re sure?’’ 

“ Absolutely. The other was a blonde with Ti- 
tian hair. And she has been dead for years.” 

Virginia said no more, and appeared to forget 
the Portuguese countess. But when Lady Gardiner 
complained of being tired, and went off to bed, that 
she might be fresh for sight-seeing next morning, 
also to write a puzzled letter to the Marchese Loria, 
Virginia remained. George Trent had gone to a 
Cairene theatre, and she and Roger were alone to- 
gether. 

Scarcely had the door closed upon Kate Gardiner, 
when the girl sprang up from her chair, and 
before Roger knew what she meant to do, was 
sitting on a divan beside him, her hand on his 
sleeve. 

“ Roger,” she exclaimed, “ I thank you a thou- 
sand, thousand times for insisting that I should come 
here.” 

“ You haven’t seen anything yet,” he returned. 
“ Thank me after to-morrow.” 

“ It’s the most wonderful thing in the world that 
we should have come,” she went on. “ If we had 
employed the cleverest detectives in Paris and Lon- 
don they might never have discovered what chance, 


n8 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


merest chance — if there is such a thing as chance 
— has put into our hands to-night.” 

“ What are you talking about, dear child ? ” 
asked Roger. 

“ I’m talking about Liane Devereux, the actress 
that Maxime Dalahaide is supposed to have mur- 
dered. You’ve been very good, Roger. I’ve ap- 
preciated it, for you never believed in his inno- 
cence. Now you must believe, in spite of yourself, 
since she is here, calling herself the Countess de 
Mattos.” 

Roger stared at her in amazement. “ But this 
is madness, dear,” he said. “ Liane Devereux was 
murdered; whether Maxime Dalahaide or another 
was her murderer, there is no possible doubt that 
she is dead. You can’t know the story as well as 
I thought you did, if you don’t put that beyond 
questioning.” 

“ I tell you, Liane Devereux is in this house, and 
Providence sent me here to see her. It’s that which 
is beyond question.” 

“ Did Madeleine Dalahaide show you the 
woman’s picture ? ” 

“ Yes, two pictures; a photograph and an ivory 
miniature. She kept them because they were her 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 119 

brother’s, just as she kept everything of his. I 
looked at them again and again, until I knew the 
features line by line. I can’t be mistaken. This 
is the same woman. There was an even deeper 
mystery about that murder than Maxime Dala- 
haide’s best friends guessed.” 

Roger Broom shrugged his shoulders with a 
despairing laugh. “ For light-hearted trampling 
on established facts, give me an American girl ! ” 
he exclaimed. “A woman is murdered, her body 
found, identified, buried. Four or five years after- 
wards another woman appears, a brunette, while 
Number One was blonde. Number One, a French- 
woman, was murdered in Paris; Number Two, a 
Portuguese, is spending the winter in Cairo. There 
is absolutely nothing to link these women together 
except a resemblance of feature, which, though 
strong, is not convincing even to a man who saw 
Number One on the stage many times. Yet here 
comes a maiden from the States, who was in the 
schoolroom in her own country when Number One 
was murdered, and insists, because she has seen a 
portrait or two, that Liane Devereux, the dead 
actress, and the Countess de Mattos are one and the 
same.” 


120 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ I know it sounds childish/' admitted Virginia, 
with unwonted meekness; “ nevertheless, I’m abso- 
lutely sure. I’d stake my life on it, if it were neces- 
sary." 

“ How do you proceed to explain the identifica- 
tion and burial of Liane Devereux’s body if she is 
now alive in Cairo ? ” 

“ I don’t pretend to explain — yet. There was a 
mistake — that’s all I can say.’’ 

“ Liane Devereux was too well known for that 
to be possible. Besides, if there had been such a 
mistake, another woman, murdered and buried in 
her place, must have been missing. As a matter 
of fact, no other woman was missing.’’ 

“ You mean, no other woman’s disappearance was 
discovered.’’ 

“ You’re incorrigible! I know you’re wrong; 
but, admitting for the sake of argument that you 
might be right, what use could you make of this 
marvellous private information, supplied to your 
brain only? If the Countess de Mattos is really 
Liane Devereux, come to life, one might be sure 
that a woman clever enough to plan from the be- 
ginning so astounding an affair would be too clever 
to leave any tracks behind her.’’ 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 121 


“ Yes, that is one of the difficult!: " c aid Vir- 
ginia. “ Only somehow we must get over it.” 

“ I hope, my dear free-lance detective, that you 
aren’t plotting to accuse the Countess to her face, 
and have a dramatic scene in the hall of the Ghezireh 
Palace?” 

“ I don’t know yet what to do,” the girl answered 
slowly. “ But 1 don’t want to leave Cairo until 
after we’ve done something.” 

“ Believe me, there’s nothing to do. We are on a 
wild-goose chase as it is; don’t let’s complicate 
things by a suit for slander just as it’s begun. My 
advice is, dear, put this mad idea out of your head, 
and let’s get on about our business as quickly as we 
can — as quickly as you yourself wanted to do a 
few hours ago.” 

“ Then I’m sorry I can’t take your advice,” said 
Virginia. “ I’m growing superstitious. I believe 
that I was brought here for a particular purpose, 
and I don’t mean to go until, in some way, I’ve 
accomplished that purpose.” 

Roger sighed, and said no more. He had ex- 
hausted his stock of arguments; he knew Virginia 
almost as well as he loved her. He had promised 
co-operation ; and though there had been no bargain- 


122 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


in g, she had voluntarily led him to hope for a re- 
ward which, to him, was beyond any other happi- 
ness the world might hold. Therefore he could 
do nothing but bow to the inevitable, and await de- 
velopments, which meant, with a girl like Virginia 
Beverly, expecting the unexpected. 

Suddenly in the night Virginia sat up in bed 
and exclaimed aloud: “ Oh, if I could!” Kate 
Gardiner, in a room adjoining, heard her, and sup- 
posed that she was talking in her sleep. But the 
truth was that a plan had at that instant sprung 
fully armed from her brain, like Minerva from the 
head of Jove; a plan so daring that the bare 
thought was an electric shock. 

She could not sleep after its conception, but lay 
tossing and tingling until it was time to get up. 
Every moment would be long now until the machin- 
ery could be set in motion, and she bathed and 
dressed hastily, having long ago ceased actively to 
miss Celestine’s lost ministrations. 

There was no sound in the next room. Kate 
was not yet awake, evidently; and so, as she took 
quite two hours for dressing and beautifying, it 
would be foolish to wait for her. Virginia went 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 123 


downstairs, looking about in vain for Roger or 
George, and stepped out on to the wide verandah, 
for a look at the Nile by morning light. To her 
joy the beautiful Portuguese Countess was there, 
breakfasting alone, with a yellow-covered French 
novel open on the little table before her. Virginia 
instantly decided that she also would breakfast on 
the verandah, and as near to the Countess as pos- 
sible. 

As the American girl’s pale blue serge rustled 
its silk lining along the floor, the Portuguese woman 
raised her eyes from the novel she was reading as 
she sipped her coffee. The eyes had appeared al- 
most black in the evening; now Virginia saw that 
they were a curious, greenish grey, and her heart 
gave a leap, for the eyes of Liane Devereux, in the 
painted ivory miniature, had been grey. 

Now or never, Virginia said to herself, was the 
time to begin the campaign. She seized the tide 
of fortune at its flood, and spoke in English, mak- 
ing the most of the pretty, drawling southern ac- 
cent of the State after which she had been named, 
because American girls were privileged to be ec- 
centric. 

“ Good morning,” she said. “ Oh, I do hope 


124 the castle of the shadows 


you understand my language, because I want to tell 
you something/’ 

The green-grey eyes of the Countess shone keenly 
between their heavy black fringes during a silent 
moment of inspection, which must have shown her 
Virginia divinely young, and childishly innocent of 
guile. At the end of the moment she smiled. 

“ Yes, I understand English, and speak it a lit- 
tle, ” she responded, with a charming accent, and in 
a voice musical but unexpectedly deep. “ You are 
American, is it not ? What have you to tell me — 
that we have met before, somewhere? ” 

At this — or Virginia imagined it — there came 
again a steely flash from between the black lashes. 
“ Oh no/’ said the girl hurriedly. “ I never saw 
you until yesterday. What I want to tell you is, 
that I hope you will forgive me for staring at you 
as I did then. I was afraid you’d think me rude. 
But I just couldn’t help it, you are so beautiful. I 
adore beauty. You can be sure now I’m American, 
can’t you? for nobody but an American girl would 
say such things to a perfect stranger. I’m glad I 
am American, for if I didn’t speak I don’t see ex- 
actly how I should get to know you. And I want 
to know you very much. I made my cousin, Sir 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 125 

Roger Broom — he’s English, though I’m American 
— ask who you were, so I heard your name. Mine 
is Virginia Beverly. Now we’re introduced, aren’t 
we?” 

The Countess laughed and looked pleased. “I 
have seen your name in the journals,” she said — 
“the journals of society all over the world, that 
one reads in hotels when one has nothing better to 
do, is it not ? They told the truth in one thing, for 
they said that you were tres belle. And you have 
bought the yacht of a Spanish gentleman, whom I 
have known a little. Yes, I remember it was a 
Miss Virginia Beverly, for it is not a name to for- 
get; and I love yachting.” 

By this time, Virginia had ordered her breakfast 
and received it, but she was far too excited to make 
more than a pretense at eating. It was almost as 
if the Countess de Mattos were playing into her 
hands. It seemed too good to be true. She was 
afraid that something would happen to ruin all; 
that she would lose her head, and by her precip- 
itancy put the other on her guard; yet the oppor- 
tunity was too admirable to be entirely neglected. 

“If you like yachting, it would be nice if you 
could come and have a day’s run with us,” said the 


126 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


girl. “ The Bella Cuba is at Alexandria, and we 
should all love taking you. My cousin and my half- 
brother, George Trent, couldn’t talk of anything but 
you last night. Perhaps, later, we might arrange 
it, if the railway journey both ways wouldn’t bore 
you.” 

“ On the contrary, I should be charmed,” replied 
the Countess. She flushed, and her eyes brightened. 
Virginia looked at her admiringly, yet sharply, and 
said to herself : ‘‘If that rich, dark complexion of 
yours is make-up — as it must be to prove my 
theory right — then it’s the cleverest make-up that 
any woman ever had as a disguise.” 

At this moment Sir Roger Broom and George 
Trent came out on to the verandah together, both 
looking very much surprised to see Virginia in con- 
versation with the Countess de Mattos. 

“Can she have said anything?” Roger thought 
quickly. But the calm expression of the beautiful, 
dark face was in itself an answer to his silent ques- 
tion. 

The two men strolled up to Virginia, who asked 
and received permission from the Countess to intro- 
duce her brother and cousin; and soon they were 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 127 


talking as if they had known each other for days 
instead of moments. 

The Portuguese beauty was distinctly ingratiating 
in her manner to all three, so much so that Roger 
became thoughtful. He was more certain than 
ever, if that were possible, that this woman was not 
Liane Devereux, for the voice was many tones deep- 
er, and the Countess spoke English with an accent 
that was not at all French. 

It seemed to him that no woman could disguise 
herself so completely — face, voice, mannerisms, 
accent — no matter how clever she might be; be- 
sides, Virginia’s idea was ridiculous. But he began 
to wonder whether the lovely Portuguese had a right 
to her title, or, if she had, whether it were as well 
gilded as her charming frocks and her residence at 
this expensive hotel would suggest at first sight. 

It seemed to him that she caught too readily at 
new acquaintances for a rich and haughty daughter 
of Portuguese aristocracy, and though he believed 
that he understood, only too well, Virginia’s motive 
for cultivating a friendship, he was inclined to fear 
that the girl might be victimised by an adventuress. 

The Countess de Mattos was too handsome and 


128 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

too striking not to have been remarked in Cairo, 
no matter how quietly she might live at the Ghezireh 
Palace Hotel, and he determined to make inquiries 
of some officers whom he knew there. 

At all events, plans for the present were changed. 
Instead of a day or two in Cairo they were to stay 
on indefinitely. George, as well as Roger, was 
taken into the secret, but Lady Gardiner was told 
only of the fact. She was pleased at first, for she 
was fond of Cairo, and had never had a chance to 
stay there in luxury before. She did not, however, 
like the Countess de Mattos, who was much too 
handsome to be acceptable to her; and before the 
slower and more prudent Roger had learnt any- 
thing, she was primed with all the gossip of the 
hotel regarding the Portuguese beauty. There was 
a certain Mrs. Maitland-Fox at the Ghezireh Palace, 
whom Lady Gardiner had met before, and from her 
she gathered the crumbs of gossip with which she 
immediately afterwards regaled Virginia. 

“ They ” said that the Countess de Mattos, al- 
though she might really be a Countess (and there 
were those who pretended to vouch for this), had 
scarcely a penny. She traded on her beauty and 
the lovely clothes with which some trusting milliner 


THE LADY ON THE VERANDAH 129 

must have supplied her, to pick up rich or influential 
friends, from whom she was certain to extort money 
in some way or another. And it was Mrs. Mait- 
land-Fox’s advice that Miss Beverly should be 
warned to beware of the beautiful lady. 

Among his friends, Roger heard something of 
the same sort, and though he was bound to admit 
that it was all very vague, he begged Virginia to 
abandon a forlorn hope, and let the Portuguese 
woman alone. 

“ If she were really a Portuguese woman she 
might vanish from before my eyes, for all I should 
care, ,, obstinately returned the girl. “ But she is 
Liane Devereux, and if she breathed poison I 
wouldn’t let her go till I had torn out her secret.” 

“How do you mean to set about doing that?” 
demanded Roger. 

“ That is my secret,” said Virginia. “ Only let 
me alone and don’t thwart me, or you’ll spoil every- 
thing.” 

Roger waited, expectant and apprehensive. He 
had not to wait long. 


CHAPTER VI 


THE END OF THE WORLD 
HEY stayed a week in Cairo, and at the end 



of that time the Countess de Mattos had 


accepted an invitation to go yachting ; not for a day, 
but for a vague period of “ dawdling/’ as Virginia 
evasively expressed it. The beautiful Portuguese 
woman had hesitated at first, and confided to the 
American girl that, on account of the delay in re- 
ceiving an expected sum of money, she did not quite 
see how she could get away in time. But Virginia 
had begged the Countess not to let such a small diffi- 
culty trouble her for a moment. She really must 
accept a loan to tide over the little annoyance; it 
would indeed be too hard to lose the pleasure of 
her companionship for the sake of a few paltry dol- 
lars, so that would be no favour at all, or rather, the 
favour would be the other way round. 

The “ few paltry dollars ” necessary turned out to 
be three thousand; but if they had been three times 


130 


THE END OF THE WORLD 131 


three thousand Virginia would have lent them just 
as cheerfully without the prospect of, or even wish 
for, their return. With the money obtained from 
Virginia’s practically unlimited letter of credit in her 
pocket, and a hint delicately expressed that more 
would be at her service whenever she wished, “ as 
it was such a nuisance having to keep in touch with 
one’s bankers and people like that on a long yacht- 
ing trip when nothing was less settled than one’s 
plans,” the Countess thought herself very well off. 

“ Are you in a hurry to be anywhere in particu- 
lar during the next few weeks ? ” asked the girl 
of her new friend. “No? How nice! Then let 
us throw all the responsibility of planning things 
upon the men. What fun never to know where we 
are going, but to be surprised always when we ar- 
rive anywhere.” 

And the Countess de Mattos agreed. She would 
have agreed with almost anything that Virginia said 
that day. If the American girl believed that Provi- 
dence had directed her to cross the path of this 
beautiful woman, the beautiful woman was equally 
sure that the god of luck had put this infatuated 
young heiress in her way. 

Roger would hardly have consented to the carry- 


132 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


in g out of Virginia’s plan, which he called “ kidnap- 
ping,” had George Trent not joined his arguments 
to his sister’s. 

“ It does seem a mad idea,” he admitted, “ but 
if the woman isn’t Liane Devereux, no harm will 
be done, except that she’ll be taken a longer jour- 
ney than she expects. If she is — ah ! I know what 
you think, old chap, without your lifting your eye- 
brows up to your hair; but, by Jove! Virgie’s got 
an instinct that’s like the needle of a compass. 
When she says ‘ north,’ I’d bet my bottom dollar it 
was north, that’s all. If I don’t object to Virgie’s 
associating with the Countess, you needn’t — yet, 
anyhow. She isn’t the kind of girl to be hurt by 
that sort of thing, and, besides, she’ll have the dick- 
ens of a tantrum if we try to thwart her now she’s 
set her heart on this trick. She’d be equal to slip- 
ping anchor with the Countess on board and leaving 
us in the lurch. Let’s see the little girl through on 
her own lines, and if the snap doesn’t come off, she 
can’t blame us. Anyway, it’s rougher on me than 
on you, for Virgie’s put me up to do the agreeable 
to the Countess and keep her from getting restless 
before we attempt to spring our mine. A while 
ago I wouldn’t have asked anything better than 


THE END OF THE WORLD 133 

flirting all day with such a woman, who is as pretty 
and as fascinating as they’re made, but I’m not in 
the mood for it now, somehow. Still, we’re playing 
for big stakes — you for yours, Roger, I for mine.” 

This was the only reference he made to his in- 
terest in Madeleine Dalahaide; but Roger guessed 
what was in his mind. 

Lady Gardiner floundered deeper than ever into 
the quicksands of mystery when she heard that the 
Countess de Mattos was to be of the party for the 
rest of the voyage — wherever it was to take them. 
What could be Virginia’s object in picking up this 
woman? Was it really true that she had taken the 
violent and sudden fancy to her that she feigned to 
feel, or did that pretense cloak a hidden motive? 
Kate had no clue, unless the fact that Virginia had 
asked her never to mention Madeleine Dalahaide 
or the Chateau de la Roche before the Countess 
could be called a motive. She would have dis- 
obeyed Virginia, by way of a curiosity-satisfying 
experiment, if she had not feared that the result 
might be disastrous and that she would be found 
out. 

At least she would in a gentle, tactful way have 
suggested objections to the Countess de Mattos’s 


134 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


presence on the yacht, had she not been certain that 
Virginia would have frankly advised her to stay 
behind if she did not like the arrangements for the 
rest of the trip. Much as she loved Cairo in the 
height of its gay season, much as she hated the 
sea at all seasons, nevertheless she was doggedly 
determined to see this adventure to the end (bitter 
though it might be), not only to earn her thousand 
pounds, but to know the secret which actually kept 
her waking and wondering at night. 

It really was the strangest thing that Virginia 
should want this adventuress on the yacht, Kate 
indignantly remarked to Mrs. Maitland-Fox. The 
girl had refused to take a maid because there would 
not be room, yet now she dragged this creature on 
board to flirt with George Trent and perhaps in- 
veigle him into a marriage under the impression 
that he was as rich as he was handsome. 

But with Virginia herself, after the first few 
moments of surprise, Lady Gardiner had been cir- 
cumspect. She had not even dared to ask the ques- 
tion burning on her lips — whether the Countess 
would have the locked state-room, or what arrange- 
ment would be made for her accommodation ? Ob- 
liged to wait for this information until the hour 


THE END OF THE WORLD 


135 


of going on board again, once the Countess de 
Mattos’s presence was to be expected without hope 
of change, Kate began to be impatient to start. 

The party, counting quiet, keen-eyed little Dr. 
Grayle, was now increased to six, an equal number 
of men and women, for the Countess had readily 
given up her maid. They all travelled to Alex- 
andria together one morning, and, boarding the 
yacht, Kate eagerly watched for the new guest 
to be taken to her state-room. Would the locked 
door be opened? No, Virginia led her past that 
mysterious, closed door, to the cabin formerly occu- 
pied by George Trent, and Kate saw that the young 
man’s belongings, just brought back from Cairo, had 
been set down inside the state-room once sacred to 
the doctor alone. In this there were two berths 
and evidently George and the medical man would 
“ chum ” together for the rest of the voyage. The 
discovery did not add to Lady Gardiner’s love for 
the Portuguese woman, for half forgetting her un- 
easiness concerning Madeleine Dalahaide, she was 
now jealous of the new beauty, and it was gall and 
wormwood to Kate that George Trent, lost to her, 
should be making gallant sacrifices of his personal 
comfort for another woman. 


136 .THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

' She had written to the Marchese Loria on the 
first night of their arrival in Cairo, before the ac- 
quaintance with the Countess had begun, and, as she 
could learn nothing of the future programme for 
the voyage, it had not seemed worth while to write 
again. As for the invitation to the Portuguese 
woman, Kate did not see that it could be of per- 
sonal interest to Loria, and she never wrote unless 
she had something to say which was of importance 
to him; therefore the Italian remained in ignorance 
that the Countess de Mattos was a member of the 
little party on the Bella Cuba. 

So far as the trip had gone, there was nothing 
to excite his anxiety save that the girl he coveted 
for her beauty and her money was going further 
and further from him. But one day a telegram 
came for him to the Cap Martin Hotel, where he 
still remained. It was dated from Port Said. 
“ Bound for Australia,” were the three words the 
message contained; and they were words of heavy 
import to Loria. 

Australia! There was no reason why Virginia 
Beverly should not visit Australia. He had heard 
her say that she would not be satisfied until she 
had seen all the world. But if she had thought of 


THE END OF THE WORLD 137 

going to Australia before she left Mentone, she 
had carefully refrained from saying so. It was 
more the fact that she had concealed such an inten- 
tion than that she was now carrying it out, which 
seemed ominous to Loria. Sydney was the nearest 
place of departure for New Caledonia. In a Mes- 
sageries mail boat it took ten days to reach Noumea 
from Sydney; it would perhaps take longer in a 
yacht like the Bella Cuba. And the sensible ques- 
tion to ask would be, Was it likely that a bright, er- 
ratic, butterfly being like beautiful Virginia Beverly 
would go so far simply for the pleasure of seeing 
the prison which contained a stranger, a convicted 
assassin for whom she had conceived a girlish ro- 
mantic interest ? 

It was not as if she could hope to meet and talk 
with Maxime Dalahaide himself, have the pleasure 
of carrying him messages from his sister, or perhaps 
even bring Madeleine to him ( for the Chateau de la 
Roche was empty now, in the hands of workmen, 
and no one, not even Loria, had been able to learn 
where Mademoiselle Dalahaide and her aunt had 
gone). The Italian was not unlearned in such lore 
of the far-away French prison-land as could be ob- 
tained, and he had read that, though strangers were 


138 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


allowed to land at Noumea, and a few had been en- 
abled through influence to penetrate inside the prison 
walls, all personal intercourse with the convicts was 
strictly interdicted. Since the one almost mirac- 
ulous escape, over thirty years ago, of Henri Roche- 
fort and Humbert, watch and ward had been more 
strictly kept than ever ; besides, they had escaped 
from Ducos, on the Isle of Pines, which in those 
days had been sacred to political prisoners, and dis- 
cipline there had been, even then, lax compared 
to that of the lie Nou, the very heart of prison-land, 
where Maxime Dalahaide was dragging out the 
weary years of his lost life. 

Yet what if Virginia should have formed the 
extraordinary resolve of going to Noumea? What 
was it to him — Loria — since she could accomplish 
nothing there? Suppose, even, that among other 
miserable convicts she saw Maxime — pallid, thin, 
sullen and hopeless, his good looks and his brilliant 
audacity crushed and gone — would not the roman- 
tic feeling she had conceived for him be instantly 
turned into horror and disgust ? When such a chill 
had withered a girl’s fancy for a man, there could 
be no future blossoming, and her heart might be 
caught in the rebound. Once, Loria had thought 


THE END OF THE WORLD 139 

that Virginia had been on the point of caring for 
him. Perhaps when they met she would turn to 
him again, remorseful for the pain she had caused, 
grateful for his unwavering loyalty; and telling him- 
self these things he was almost persuaded that it 
would do him more good than harm if Virginia did 
go to Noumea. But he was never wholly per- 
suaded. A strange fear knocked at his heart, a fear 
that had no name. He never quite saw its face. 
Like a haunting ghost, it was always behind him, 
and he could hear the swish of its garments, the 
stealthy sound of its footfalls; but when he turned 
upon it the thing was gone, leaving only the im- 
pression of a black shadow with a veiled face inex- 
pressibly awful. 

Loria could not sleep by night, ancj by day he 
was restless. He began to dread an illness, and was 
constantly troubled with headache, which gave him 
an excuse for believing that the vague, nervous 
apprehension he suffered was largely the result of 
physical causes. 

What else, indeed, could it be? He had abso- 
lutely nothing to fear. Of this he was still continu- 
ally reminding himself, when another telegram 
came from Lady Gardiner, dated Sydney. “ Leav- 


140 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


in g here to-morrow,” she said. “Destination un- 
known. 

The Bella Cuba was ten days out from Sydney 
Heads. Her passengers rose early, for in the morn- 
ing it was good to be alive. Virginia, fresh from 
her cold, salt bath, came on deck, and saw the 
Countess de Mattos there, with George Trent. Far 
away lay a strip of land, turning slowly from violet 
to emerald as the yacht steamed nearer. Virginia 
saw it and flushed. She knew what it must be, and 
quickly she glanced at George, with an eager ques- 
tion in her eyes. 

It was tacitly understood that the task of inform- 
ing the Countess de Mattos what her destination 
was to be must be left to Virginia; she coveted it, 
while the two men did not. Still, the Portuguese 
might have guessed, on seeing that strip of violet; 
or George might inadvertently have given her a clue, 
and she would be on her guard. 

But George’s blue eyes met his sister’s ; and with 
the faintest shake of his head he contrived to con- 
vey to her the intelligence that the secret still re- 
mained a secret. 

Virginia’s heart was beating fast as she joined 


THE END OF THE WORLD 


141 

her brother and the Countess, and her hand was not 
quite steady as she offered her field-glass to the 
beautiful Portuguese, who had long ago begged the 
two ladies on board to call her “ Manuela.” 

“ What a large island ! ” exclaimed the Countess. 
“ And we seem to be making for it. What can it 
be? Mr. Trent says perhaps it is a mirage. But I 
think that is his joke. He likes teasing.” 

“I think,” replied Virginia calmly, though her 
eyes were on the face of Manuela, “ that we must 
be coming in sight of New Caledonia.” 

As she gave this answer, Roger Broom came up 
the companion-way, and heard the last words, which 
rang out distinctly. Instantly he knew that the 
moment for which Virginia had been waiting was at 
hand, and he, too, watched the Countess. 

She had taken Virginia’s field-glass, and was 
gazing through it at the far-off land which with 
each moment seemed to grow more distinct. Only 
the delicate, aquiline profile could be seen by the 
eager eyes that looked for a sign of weakness. She 
did not speak at first, but a visible shiver ran 
through her body. The field-glass came down 
rather suddenly, and her fingers gripped it tightly 
as they rested on the rail. But she did not turn 


142 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


her face, and continued gazing landward as at last 
she echoed the words, “ New Caledonia ! ” 

“ Is not that a prison for the French forgats? ” 
she slowly asked. 

Tacitly, the two men left the answer to Virginia. 
“ Yes,” said the girl. “ Noumea is a penal settle- 
ment. They say it is very interesting to see. We 
thought that we might stop for a day or two in the 
harbour there.” 

This time the Countess turned. “ Oh, but that 
would be terrible!” she exclaimed. “We — they 
might rob and murder us, these convicts. You did 
not say that we were coming to Noumea.” 

“ It was to be one of our surprises,” replied Vir- 
ginia. “ I thought that you would like it.” 

“No, no!” ejaculated Manuela. “I do not 
like it at all. I have a horror of such places and 
such people. This is a pleasure trip, is it not? 
There is no pleasure in visiting a prison-land. Dear 
Virginia, dear Mr. Trent and Sir Roger, do let us 
turn our faces another way and go somewhere else.” 

Virginia had not lost a single changing shade 
of expression on the Countess de Mattos’s darkly 
beautiful face; but if she had been questioned, she 
would have had to confess that she was disappointed 


THE END OF THE WORLD 


143 


in the great effect towards which she had so long 
been working up. She had half expected to see 
-his wicked woman who, in some deadly and mys- 
terious way, had plotted to destroy Maxime Dala- 
haide, turn livid under the brown stain which she 
(Virginia) suspected, gasp, totter, and perhaps fall 
fainting when she heard those fatal names — “ New 
Caledonia, Noumea.’" But Manuela gave none of 
these evidences of distress. If she paled, the dusky 
stain in whose existence Virginia so tenaciously be- 
lieved hid the sign of her emotion. It allowed a 
deep flush to be seen; even Virginia could not deny 
that, but pallor was difficult to trace where com- 
plexion and even lips were tinted brown and red; 
and the slight quivering of the body, the dropping 
of the hand with the field-glass, were not so marked 
that they might not be due to an ordinary, disagree- 
able surprise. 

“ I’m sorry you feel so about the place,” said 
Virginia. “ That’s the worst of planning surprises, 
isn’t it. One can’t always be sure of bringing off 
a success. Now, I’m afraid we must make the best 
of it, for, as we arranged to come here, our stores 
won’t last long enough to avoid New Caledonia and 
go further. We must buy butter and milk and 


144 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


vegetables, and chickens and lots of things, to say 
nothing of coaling. But you needn’t see anything 
of the prison and the prisoners unless you like. The 
harbour is said to be glorious, and you can stop on 
board and read novels, while the rest of us do our 
sight-seeing, which won’t take us very long.” 

“ Sight-seeing in a prison ! ” exclaimed the Coun- 
tess. “ You English and Americans are strange. 
We Latins, we never give ourselves pain that can 
be avoided. There is enough that is unpleasant in 
life without that. Ugh! I would rather do with- 
out butter and milk than buy it of convicts, who 
may poison us in sheer spite because we are more 
fortunate than they. Could we not turn round, and 
get back to Sydney without starving ? ” 

“ No, it couldn’t be managed,” said Virginia. 

Manuela turned pleading eyes upon Roger and 
George. They were men; they knew more about 
such things than women; besides she could usually 
make men do what she wished. But for once she 
found creatures of the opposite sex who were not 
to be melted by her pleading. They agreed with 
Virginia that it was impossible now to avoid New 
Caledonia. 

“ And how long shall we stay ? ” plaintively in- 


THE END OF THE WORLD 145 

quired the Countess, when she had been obliged to 
resign herself to the inevitable, which, to her credit, 
she did with a very pretty grace. “ Shall we leave 
again to-night, with our poisoned food ? ” 

“ Wait till you have seen the rocks in the har- 
bour,” answered George. “If they’re as bad as the 
books say, they must be something to see. Any- 
how, it’s only possible to get in or out between sun- 
rise and sunset. I’m afraid, Countess, you’ll have 
to put up with it till to-morrow.” 

“ Oh ! ” Manuela sighed a long sigh. She asked 
no more questions, she made no more protests. She 
turned her back upon New Caledonia, and appeared 
to dismiss the land of lost souls from her mind. 

“ Well,” said Roger, when he and Virginia had 
walked away, leaving the Countess and George 
Trent to the flirtation which was so embittering the 
daily life of Lady Gardiner. “ Well, was I right or 
wrong about this woman ? ” 

“ Wrong,” firmly answered Virginia. 

“ You say that still, after the way she took your 
grand coup ? But this is only because you hate 
giving up, beaten.” 

“ I’m not beaten yet,” the girl returned doggedly. 
“ I hoped for something different — yes, I admit 


146 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


that. But her game means as much to her as ours 
does to us. She’s playing it for all it’s worth. If 
she weren’t such a wretch, I should have admired 
her pluck. How she held her ground! Taken by 
surprise as she was, almost her first thought was 
whether we had purposely caught her in this trap, 
or whether she had only an avenging fate to thank 
for such a terrible and startling coincidence. I saw 
that, at least, in her eyes and her face, Roger, 
though I didn’t see all I had been looking for. 
Think what she must have been feeling ! She 
helped to send an innocent man who had loved and 
trusted her into this exile, worse than death. She 
thought herself free from him for ever, because he 
was at the other end of the world, dead-alive, in 
the grave where she had buried him. Suddenly 
she finds herself looking at that grave, unable to 
escape. At any moment it may open, and the dead 
appear to accuse her. What a situation ! ” 

“ What imagination ! ” exclaimed Roger. “ Dear 
child, you have let it carry you away as far from 
the truth as you’ve carried this woman from her 
home — this woman whom you’ve so audaciously 
kidnapped.” 

“ Wait,” said Virginia, her voice trembling. “ I 


THE END OF THE WORLD 147 

haven’t done with her. This is only the first turn 
of the thumbscrew. She doesn’t dream yet of the 
ordeal she’ll have to go through.” 

“ May have to go through,” quietly amended 
Roger Broom. 

“ You mean — oh, Roger, don’t you think we’ll 
succeed in what we’ve come for so far, so very 
far?” 

Virginia, with tears sparkling in uplifted eyes, 
was irresistible. 

“ I hope it, dear,” the man who loved and wanted 
her said, gravely. “ I never thought it, you know. 
But the way hasn’t seemed far to me, because I 
have been with you; and the time will not have 
been wasted for me if we fail, because it has kept 
me by your side. I shall think, ‘ I have done what 
I could, and it has pleased Virginia.’ ” 

“ It has made Virginia grateful for all her life 
long,” said the girl softly, “ and whatever happens 
she will never forget. You have done so much 
already! Disapproving my plan, still you loyally 
did all you could to forward it. You used your 
influence to get us the one chance here, without 
which we could hope to do nothing. You wrote 
to the French Ambassador in London, the English 


148 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


Ambassador in France, and finally, when our in- 
terests were so twisted up in masses of official red- 
tape that it seemed they could never get disentan- 
gled, you ran on to Paris yourself to call on the 
Minister of the Colonies. If it had not been for the 
permit you got from him, we might as well have 
given up coming here, for all the prison doors 
would have been shut to us. Now, through him, 
and through you, they will be open, and our first 
step is clear. All this made me feel hopeful, when 
we were far away; I felt sure that we should suc- 
ceed. But now that we have come these thousands 
of miles in our poor little boat; now that we have 
arrived at the end of the world and our real work 
is still before us, my heart suddenly sinks down — 
down. Pm frightened — Pm almost ill : and your 
words and your face are so grave, Roger! Your 
very tenderness and kindness make it worse, for 
somehow, it’s as if you thought there might be a 
good-bye. It makes me realise that, after all, the 
greatest danger is to be run by you and George. 
You have both come for my sake; and — you are 
going to risk your lives.” 

“ Risk your lives ! ” repeated a voice ; and turn- 
ing quickly, Virginia and her cousin saw Lady 


THE END OF THE WORLD 149 

Gardiner, who had lately developed a rather stealthy 
way of creeping noiselessly behind her friends. 

Virginia’s mood was not one to promote presence 
of mind. She was speechless; but Roger stepped 
into the breach. 

“ We were talking of a swim that George and I 
propose to have in these pleasant waters,” he re- 
marked. “ There are supposed to be a good many 
sharks about, and Virginia is advising prudence.” 

“ Oh ! ” breathed Lady Gardiner. “ She is quite 
right. We will all join our persuasions to hers. 
But the Countess tells me this island is actually 
New Caledonia, the French penal settlement. Isn’t 
that where your friend Miss Dalahaide’s brother is 
imprisoned ? ” 

“ I believe so,” said Virginia. 

“ How exciting ! And how well you’ve kept the 
secret of this expedition! Is there any chance of 
our coming across the interesting murderer ? ” 

“ Don’t call him that ! ” Virginia cried hotly. 
“ How do you suppose that it would be possible 
for us to * come across ’ him ? Do tourists who go 
to Portland 9 come across ’ prisoners who have been 
convicted of murder — whether innocent or not? 
Noumea isn’t the only port we have visited. It is 


150 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


on our way. We shall stop a day or two, and then 
— we shall go on somewhere else.” 

“ Quite so,” drily returned Lady Gardiner. 

It was noon when they slowly steamed into the 
beautiful harbour of Noumea, and before them lay 
the crime-cursed land, fair with the fatal fairness 
of deadly nightshade. 

There, for nearly five years, Maxime Dalahaide 
had not lived, but existed. To give him back to 
life, she had come thousands of miles and spent 
more than twenty thousand pounds. What would 
they find that he had become, if those precious 
documents which Roger had obtained proved as 
potent as they hoped? Would his brain and heart 
have been strong enough to bear the hopeless agony, 
the shame, the hideous associations of those years 
which to him must have seemed a century of de- 
spair ; or would he have fallen under the burden ? ” 

Virginia shivered as if with cold, as she fancied 
a hard, official voice announcing that Number So- 
and-So was dead. 


CHAPTER VII 


THE GATES OPEN 

HE Countess de Mattos had a headache which 



A was so severe, she announced, that it would 
prevent her from landing; besides, she was not in- 
terested in convicts. Lady Gardiner, on the con- 
trary, was greatly interested. Never had she been 
more alert, never had her black eyes been so keen. 
She wanted to go everywhere; she wanted to see 
everything. She thought Noumea a charming place ; 
she had “ really no sympathy for the prisoners.” 
One might commit a crime solely for the pleasure of 
being sent here. 

The party of five went ashore, and Kate’s prin- 
cipal preoccupation seemed to be to keep as close 
to Virginia as possible. She had the air of expect- 
ing some choice excitement, which she might miss 
if the girl were lost sight of for a moment. But 
nothing in the manner of Virginia or her brother 
or cousin suggested that they had come to this 


I5i 


152 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


strange spot “ at the end of the world ” with any 
object save that of amusement. They behaved 
just as they had behaved at Sydney, or any other 
port at which they had called. All five strolled up, 
under a blaze of tropical sunshine, to the Place 
des Cocotiers, and sitting on the shaded verandah 
of the Hotel de France, sipped a cooling drink con- 
cocted of oranges, lemons, and pineapple. Then 
they sauntered on again, much observed by the few 
weary-looking persons they met, through broad 
streets, with long, low, white houses. 

Dr. Grayle kept beside Lady Gardiner now, and 
they walked in front, as the former was supposed 
to have studied the subject of the penal settlement 
so thoroughly as to be qualified for guide. 

Kate glanced over her shoulder often; but Dr. 
Grayle succeeded in genuinely interesting her in the 
story of an atrocious criminal who had been ex- 
patriated to Noumea some years before. When 
she looked hurriedly back, ostensibly to ask Roger 
Broom if he had ever heard the spicy narrative, 
the three had disappeared. 

Lady Gardiner flushed in anger with them for 
their duplicity, with herself for her carelessness in 
letting them slip away. “ Dear me ! what has be- 


THE GATES OPEN 


153 

come of the others ?” she exclaimed. “We must 
turn back and find them. ,, 

Dr. Grayle took the defection calmly “ so calmly 
that Kate leaped to the conviction that he was in 
the plot against her. The others wanted to go 
somewhere or do something without her, and this 
little brown-faced, sharp-eyed man had been told 
off as a kind of decoy duck. But she would cir- 
cumvent them yet. She would know what was go- 
ing on. 

“ They have probably gone to buy some bit of 
carving or other souvenirs of convict make,” said 
the doctor. “ Certainly we’ll turn back if you 
•like.” 

They did turn back, and wandered about in all 
the (according to Dr. Grayle) most likely places to 
find the lost ones, but in vain. Kate could have 
burst into tears of rage. She was hot, tired, dusty, 
and — worst of all — thwarted. It was hateful to 
feel herself helpless in the plotters’ hands, being 
made to dance when they pulled the strings, and 
to know that this “ horrid little brown man ” was 
secretly laughing at her behind his polite air of 
concern. Yet she was helpless, and had to ac- 
knowledge it. If she left the doctor and went off 


154 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


on an expedition of independent exploration she 
would not know which way to go, and might get 
into trouble. But at last she could no longer bear 
her wrongs in silence; and, after all, she had noth- 
ing to gain by being nice to Dr. Grayle. 

“ I suppose you think,” she burst out angrily, 
“ that you are making a fool of me, and that I don't 
know it. But I'm not as simple as you seem to 
believe. I'm perfectly well aware that there's a 
mystery going on, and that all these elaborate pre- 
cautions are to keep me out of it.” 

Dr. Grayle raised his eyebrows. “ Then you 
are much more enlightened than I am,” he returned 
mil<JIy. “ I’m really quite at a loss to know what 
you mean, Lady Gardiner.” 

“ In plain words, I mean that you are walking 
me off my feet to cover the others’ escape. You 
know perfectly well where they are, but they've or- 
dered you to keep out of the way, and you are do- 
ing as you're told, like a nice, obedient little man. 
I never was so abominably treated in my life.” 

“ I can’t see, even if Miss Beverly and her two 
relations choose to go off for a little private sight- 
seeing on their own account, that either you or I 
have anything to complain of,” said the doctor. 


THE GATES OPEN 


155 

“We are outsiders, and are both very well paid 
for our services. My opinion is that few persons 
in our position receive as much consideration from 
their employers as we do.” 

Kate was so furious at this snub (which found 
a vital spot) that she was literally speechless for 
a moment. She would have liked to strike the 
impertinent little wretch who dared put her on a 
level with himself; but she could hardly do that, 
even in Noumea. When the wave of angry blood 
flowed back from her brain, and she recovered 
presence of mind, she turned abruptly and walked 
away from the doctor. But he was at her side 
again almost immediately, keeping up with her 
without any appearance of haste, though she quick- 
ened her pace in spite of fatigue, looking as cool, 
as serene, as if he had been taking an afternoon 
stroll in Bond Street. Evidently he had torn a leaf 
out of Roger Broom's book; and Kate recalled the 
forgotten fact that it was Roger who had recom- 
mended him to Virginia's notice. 

“ I beg your pardon,” he said, “ but you are now 
going towards that part of the town which was 
burnt down at the time of the plague here, about 
three years ago. It is leading you rather out of 


156 (THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

the way of the hotel, where we were all to meet for 
luncheon; but perhaps you have a curiosity to see 
it? I have studied a map of the place, and if 
you like can point out — ” 

“ I do not like ! ” Lady Gardiner cut in sharply. 
“ I wish to send a cablegram.” 

“ Unfortunately, that is impossible.” 

“ What! One can’t telegraph from this loath- 
some place? ” 

“ I thought you were so charmed with it ? One 
cannot telegraph to-day.” 

“ Why not to-day ? Is it a holiday for the 
operators ? ” 

“ So far as we are concerned.” 

“ AhJ I see what you mean now. You intend 
to prevent my communicating with my friends! 
But this is too much. I will do so.” 

“ I fancied you were attached to Miss Beverly.” 

“ What has that to do with it ? ” 

“A good deal. We are Miss Beverly’s guests 
— or her servants, whichever you please. In 
either case, we surely owe her fealty. I have 
been informed that she does not wish to have any 
communication made with the outside world, from 
Noumea.” 


THE GATES OPEN 


157 


“ I was not informed of this mandate/' 

“ I daresay she thought that you would be guided 
by my counsel.” 

“ Counsel ! A strange word for your tyranny. 
At least, I suppose, there are no orders against 
returning to the hotel ? ” 

“ None. So long as we are discreet.” 

“ And in what way does your idea of discretion 
consist, pray ? ” 

“ Keeping ourselves to ourselves. They are 
rather suspicious folk in New Caledonia. Few 
tourists come this way. Probably we are the first 
people who have landed here, not on business, for 
many a long year.” 

“ I am not at all sure that we haven't come on 
business — very particular business.” 

“ I wouldn't make that remark before anybody 
else, if I were you. You might — get into trouble.” 

As Dr. Grayle said this he looked steadily at 
Lady Gardiner. Their eyes met, and so peculiarly 
cold and menacing was the expression of his that 
she felt unpleasantly chilled, and even subdued. 
Those steady eyes so underscored his words with 
sinister meaning, that Kate dared not ask whether 
the “ trouble ” to which he suggestively referred 


158 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

would come to her through him or the inhabitants 
of Noumea. She thought that he looked capable 
of reducing her to helplessness by violence, if she 
showed signs of resisting his will, and she relapsed 
into silence. But she had not given up the hope 
of cabling to Loria. She resolved to watch her 
chance. 

They walked back to the Hotel de France, but 
the others had not returned, though the time fixed 
was long past. Kate was so hungry and weary 
that again she could have wept, and was secretly 
glad when Dr. Grayle ordered luncheon for two, 
though the prospect of a meal tete-a-tete was not 
enjoyable. She complained, however, of being too 
warm and dusty to eat, unless she could refresh 
herself by splashing a little cold water, and she 
had to look down to hide the light which flashed 
into her eyes when Grayle consented without protest 
to her taking a room, and remaking her toilet 
before lunch. 

“Now I shall get off that cable,” she said to 
herself. Hardly had she entered the bare, poorly 
furnished bedroom when she rang, and stood wait- 
ing eagerly for a servant to answer the summons. 
Presently came the expected knock. She flew to 


THE GATES OPEN 


U59 


open the door, and — there stood the little doctor, 
behind him approaching a maid, probably an ex- 
convict. 

“ You rang, Lady Gardiner,” said Dr. Grayle, 
“ to ask for a telegraph form, just as you might 
in a civilised place, didn’t you? But this isn’t a 
civilised place, and the methods are not all civil- 
ised. Now, here is the servant you rang for. If 
you persist in carrying out your intention I shall 
lock you in this room, take the key, and tell the 
landlord that you are a harmless lunatic, under 
my medical supervision. I think I shall not in 
that case lack for assistance in keeping you within 
bounds.” 

Kate glared at him, panting, for a moment. 
Then, controlling her voice, she asked the servant 
in French for some hot water. Having done this, 
she slammed the door in the little man’s face, 
which was the only satisfaction she got out of the 
incident. She was inclined to remain sulking in 
the bedroom, but though the spirit was willing 
the flesh was weak, and the pangs of hunger drove 
her forth. Dr. Grayle was awaiting her in the 
corridor, a watchdog patient and placid. 


160 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


The missing three did no more aimless saunter- 
ing after they had slipped round a corner and 
eluded Kate Gardiner’s curious eyes. Had their 
business not been of life-and-death importance, they 
would have felt like children escaped from school; 
since the least imprudence might lose them the 
stake for which they played, and Kate’s presence 
had been a check and cause of delay. Fortunately, 
it was not yet the hour of dejeuner , even in Nou- 
mea, and they made up for lost time by hastening 
to the Governor’s offices, which were in a white- 
painted, two-story building of wood, with a veran- 
dah facing the almost deserted street. 

It was Sir Roger Broom who had used his 
influence in obtaining a special letter from the Min- 
ister of Colonies to the Governor of New Caledonia, 
and he now sent it in with his card, and those 
of his friends, by a clerk. For a few moments 
they waited, soldiers in gay uniforms, gendarmes 
and convict messengers passing in and out on 
various errands, all gazing with surprised, if fur- 
tive interest at the extraordinarily beautiful girl 
in white. Presently the Governor was ready to 
receive his guests, and his turn came to be aston- 
ished by Virginia. She was the first lady who 


THE GATES OPEN 


161 


had ever come to Noumea, he said, on a journey 
of pleasure. Ah, the American young ladies, they 
were wonderful, amazing! He asked a few ques- 
tions about the yacht, the trip they had had, and 
his old friend the Minister of Colonies, then count- 
ersigned the credentials for the party, and dashed 
off a letter to the Director of the Penitentiary 
Administration. 

It was upon the latter official that everything 
depended. So far all was satisfactory; but if the 
Director (who was supreme in authority over the 
prison, not answerable even to the Governor) 
chose to be ungracious, they might go back whence 
they had come without even attempting that bold 
stroke in the hope of which they had paid this 
visit. They dared, however, show no signs of their 
consuming anxiety. With smiling thanks they bade 
good-bye to the Governor and went on, in the fitful 
silence of suspense, to the Direction. 

Again the letters and cards were borne away 
by a clerk. There was more waiting; and when 
they were ushered into a large, cool, dusky room, 
strangely still behind its heavy double doors, Vir- 
ginia was glad of the gloom, lest her pallor should 
excite suspicion. 


1 62 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


Afterwards Roger and George said to each other 
that if it had not been for Virginia they believed 
the Director would have politely, but firmly, re- 
fused to grant the special privileges they craved. 
Others had received ordinary permits to “ view ” 
the penitentiary establishment, yet very few indeed 
(save those who went because they must) had been 
suffered by the authorities to pass the prison gates. 
But what Frenchman could refuse any favour in 
his power to the all-conquering Virginia? The 
Director would have been well within his rights, 
and could not have been accused of discourtesy, 
if he had allowed a certain short, concise sentence 
at the left-hand corner of the official sheet of paper 
which he signed, to remain. But instead he 
scratched it out with two quick strokes of the pen; 
and the doors of the prison and its cells were 
practically thrown open. 

He, too, asked questions, and seemed wistfully 
loth to part with these interesting visitors from 
a far-away world, whose echoes he seldom heard. 
He smiled indulgently when Virginia fluently told 
the story prepared beforehand: the book she and 
her brother had been commissioned to write by a 
prominent American publishing firm; how it was 


THE GATES OPEN 163 

to be all about this yachting trip, with Noumea 
as the piece de resistance of the story. They ex- 
pected, George Trent chimed in by saying, to stop 
on board their yacht in the harbour for a day or 
two, perhaps, but (and he made the most of his 
engaging southern accent) what they particularly 
wanted was to “ do ” the lie Nou, which all the 
books said was so “ mighty ” interesting. 

The Director obligingly scrawled a letter to the 
Commandant of the prison in New Caledonia, ex- 
plained to his guests what they must do, and cor- 
dially invited them to lunch with him. The thought 
of eating was repulsive to Virginia; but Roger 
telegraphed her a warning look, and she knew that 
she must accept. It would not be wise to let it 
be seen that they were in a hurry; they were ec- 
centric pleasure-seekers, sea-tourists; to be in haste 
was to throw aside disguise. 

After dejeuner , which seemed interminable, they 
were allowed to depart. So to a group of white, 
grey-roofed buildings set in brilliant little squares 
of garden — the offices of the executive police. 
Passing on, they reached a small wooden quay, 
belonging-to the penitential administration. Men in 
ugly grey clothes, their faces shaded with broad, 


1 64 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


ribbonless straw hats, were working at loading a 
boat with large boxes, which they carried to the 
quay from a truck on a miniature local railway 
line. These men were directed in their labour by 
other men in white; and Virginia shivered all over, 
for this was her first sight of the convicts. What 
if Maxime Dalahaide were among these forlorn 
wretches who toiled and sweated in the blazing 
sun, with no encouragement save the rough ex- 
hortations of the white-clad surveillants with re- 
volvers on their hips? If he were here, did any 
voice whisper to him of hope? 

The canot for the lie Nou was to start almost 
immediately. The credentials of the party were 
examined at the douanerie , and they were per- 
mitted to go on board. Twelve convicts were the 
rowers. They sat under an awning which pro- 
tected them as well as the passengers from the 
sun, but Virginia, glancing almost fearfully at their 
faces, saw that their skins were tanned to the colour 
of mahogany by exposure. Their features were, 
without one exception, marked with the indefinable 
yet not to be mistaken stamp of criminality, and 
she breathed more freely when she had assured 


THE GATES OPEN 165 

herself that the man they sought was not one of 
them. 

All they had to go upon was the vague informa- 
tion derived from Madeleine Dalahaide, that her 
brother was supposed to be on the lie Nou. The 
time had not come yet to ask the questions that 
burnt their tongues; but it was coming nearer now 
with each wide sweep of the convicts’ oars. 

The Director had been thoughtful enough to 
telegraph to the lie Nou of the visitors’ arrival, 
and as the canot approached the quay of the strange 
little settlement, an officer of the prison, who had 
the appearance of a superior warder, stepped for- 
ward, touching his white hat. 

Virginia felt, with a thickly beating heart, that 
the long preface was finished, the first chapter of 
the book was about to begin. She looked at this 
island of exile and punishment with an emotion that 
was not curiosity, but which could be classified by 
no other word. The He Nou was not to the eye 
the terrible place of which she had so often dreamed. 
There were more low, white houses, clustering 
cosily together or separated by thick, dark trees, 
and there were shaded streets and more blazing 


1 66 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


flamboyant flowers making patches of red in the 
deep green. But beyond the town rose a hill, and 
there the great prison buildings stood out grimly 
against the cloudless blue of the tropical sky. 

They landed. The warder begged them with 
French politeness to give themselves the trouble 
of accompanying him to the quarters of the Com- 
mandant, who expected their visit. 

The programme of conspiracy was all planned; 
each one’s part had been carefully mapped out, and 
a thousand times Virginia had gone through the 
ordeal of this day in her mind. Yet now the beat- 
ing in her temples confused her thoughts. She 
was afraid that she should forget, that she should 
make some irretrievable blunder, and that every- 
thing would be ruined by her fault. But much 
might depend now upon a look or gesture, and she 
held herself in a vice of self-control, fearing that 
her smile on greeting the courteous old Com- 
mandant was suspiciously forced, her voice un- 
natural, or the look in her eyes a betrayal of des- 
perate anxiety. 

But the gallant Frenchman saw only the most 
entrancing vision of a girl his eyes had ever looked 
upon. Within the bounds of reason — which 


THE GATES OPEN 


167 


meant in honour and within the regulations of the 
establishment — he would have done anything to 
win one of those distracting smiles which brought 
into play two little round dimples. He ordered 
his own carriage to take his guests to the grim 
hill behind the town; he sat by Virginia as they 
were driven up the white, winding road ; and when 
at last the convict coachman drew up the horses 
at a great door of black iron in the blank side of a 
high white wall, it was he who helped her to alight. 

“ You will be the only lady, not the wife or 
daughter of an official of the place, who has ever 
entered at this gate, mademoiselle,” he remarked, 
as the key of the surveillant grated in the lock. 

The door opened, and Virginia passed through 
trembling, the Commandant at her side. They 
were in a long oddly-shaped courtyard. “ The 
place of execution,” said her guide. “ In the early 
morning, at sunrise, a condemned man is brought 
here to die by the guillotine. Through that door 
yonder he comes, the priest walking by his side. 
To-morrow there will be such an execution. But 
I suppose you would scarcely care to see that, 
mademoiselle ? ” 

“ Oh, no, no ! ” exclaimed Virginia, shuddering. 


1 68 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ I would die myself, sooner. What has he done 
— this unfortunate one — that he must suffer 
death ? ” 

“ He attempted to escape — ” 

“What — you kill them for that, if — they are 
retaken? ” 

“ No : but wait, mademoiselle. I will tell you 
the story. It may be of use as an anecdote for 
the book you will write. This man who is to die 
to-morrow morning, and who will not know that 
his time has come until the knock at the door of 
his cell when the hour strikes — this man and 
another, who were imprisoned at the Isle of Pines, 
stole a small open fishing-boat, and with the branch 
of a tree for a mast and a shirt for a sail, started 
out in the desperate hope of eventually reaching 
Australia. But the alarm was soon given, and they 
were pursued by such a canot as that in which you 
came here, mademoiselle, from Noumea. One of 
the fugitives was mad enough to jump from the 
boat, scarcely knowing what he did. In a moment 
he had ceased to live.” 

“ He was shot?” 

“Ah, no, mademoiselle. The waters here are 
literally alive with sharks. Bathing even near shore 


THE GATES OPEN 169 

is dangerous. A little further out — but I will say 
no more. You grow pale.” 

“That is nothing. And the other man — what 
of him?” 

“ He was captured ; but he is a young, athletic 
fellow, and in his fury at being retaken he snatched 
a surveillant’s revolver and shot him dead. He 
was tried, condemned to death, and to-morrow at 
sunrise, as I said, will expiate his crime and folly.” 

Virginia was very white now — almost as white 
as the frock which she had chosen from her pret- 
tiest for the subjugation of these men in authority. 

“ What is the man's name ? ” she ventured to 
ask, her voice sounding strange and metallic in her 
own ears, her lips dry. 


CHAPTER VIII 


NUMBER 1280 

C cfT^HE man is without a name, ,, said the Com- 
JL mandant. “ He is a number. But once he 
was known as Jean Fourneau. ,, 

Virginia breathed again. “ And the one who 
was with him ? ” 

“ The man eaten by the sharks ? He was called 
in the world, Pierre Duval.” 

The girl could hardly restrain a murmur of the 
infinite relief she felt. But she dared show no 
emotion. “ I suppose you have all sorts and con- 
ditions of men here? ” she asked. 

“ From the highest to the lowest.” 

“ Then there must be many interesting cases — 
quite romances. Do tell us something about a few 
of the best.” 

“ That is difficult. There are many cases which 
might interest you; but they would shock you as 
well.” 


170 


NUMBER 1280 


171 

“ I would trust you to choose. Have you any 
young men of good family who, perhaps, com- 
mitted their crimes for love ? ” 

The Commandant smiled. “ We have many 
such. There is the man who is called the New 
Caledonian Dreyfus — Chatelain — who sold his 
country to please the woman he loved. He is at 
Ducos. But perhaps the most notable example of 
the type you desire is a young scion of French 
and English aristocracy whom we have here, on 
the lie Nou. He is now known as Number 1280; 
but a few years ago he figured brilliantly in the 
great world as Maxime Dalahaide. You may have 
heard of him, mademoiselle.” 

The words rang strangely in the girl’s ears. She 
“ might have heard of him ! ” But her presence 
of mind had not left her, as a few moments ago 
she had feared it might, when it should be needed 
most. 

She was simply carrying out her part of the 
programme, and she knew that Roger and George 
were watching her from behind half-closed lids. 
If they could help her they would; but the time had 
not come for their help yet. 

“ I left America only a year ago/’ she answered, 


172 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

“ and one forgets things of this sort when they 
happen very far away.” 

“ Naturally. But it was an uncommon case. 
Maxime Dalahaide was condemned to death for 
murdering a beautiful young actress, with whom 
he was in love — jealousy alleged as the cause. 
However, powerful influence saved him from death 
and sent him to us. I do not know that he was 
properly thankful.” 

Virginia showed a little decorous interest, such 
as a stranger might legitimately take in the hero 
of such a tale. “ This story ought to make a 
splendid anecdote for our book,” she exclaimed. 
“ Is the man handsome? ” 

“ You might not think so if you saw him now. 
The costume of the forgat is not becoming. But 
he is still quite young, between twenty-eight and 
nine. You can see his portrait if you like, 
mademoiselle, at the Bureau of Anthropometry, 
where each convict's photograph is taken, with every 
possible view of his face, when he first becomes 
an inmate of the prison.” 

“ I would rather see the man himself,” answered 
Virginia. “If you would only let my brother and 
me have an interview with him, think how it would 


NUMBER 1280 


173 


help our book! Ah, monsieur, that would be kind. 
I should never forget your goodness in giving me 
such a chance.” 

The gallant Commandant hesitated. But — the 
permit in the possession of these three favoured 
visitors was very explicit. They were to have 
privileges scarcely ever granted before, and he had 
therefore the best of excuses for obliging the beauti- 
ful American girl. 

“ Do say yes ! ” persuasively added Virginia. 

“ I really think I may conscientiously do so,” 
replied the old Frenchman, delighted to please the 
most radiant being he had seen for many a long 
year. “ Number 1280 has acted for some time as 
secretary in one of the bureaux; but another con- 
vict, displaced for Dalahaide because of careless- 
ness and inaccuracy, was jealous of the favour 
shown the aristocrat (ah, I assure you they know 
all about each other’s affairs and circumstances 
here!), contrived to make a rough knife out of a 
piece of flint, and stabbed his rival in the back, 
narrowly missing the lungs. As it was, the wound 
was a serious one, and Dalahaide is in the hospital. 
The would-be murderer is now under-going punish- 
ment in what we call the Black Cell.” 


174 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ The wound was not actually dangerous ? ” 
Roger hastened to inquire, seeing that Virginia’s 
lips were white. 

“ He ought not to be dangerously ill,” said the 
Commandant. “ He is young, and quite one of 
our athletes — or was. The life he had led here, 
though not what he would choose, has not been 
unhealth ful. But the doctor, with whom I have 
discussed his case, says that the wish to recover is 
lacking. The man is hopeless. He would rather 
die than live ; and his physician thinks it exceedingly 
likely that he will do so.” 

“ That is sad,” said Sir Roger, his eyes still on 
Virginia. 

The Commandant shrugged his shoulders. “ We 
are accustomed to sadness here,” he replied. “ But 
the exile and degradation of Noumea are no doubt 
harder of endurance to a man like Dalahaide — 
proud, sensitive, refined, intellectual, accustomed to 
every luxury. He was like a madman when he 
first came, four or five years ago. Several times 
he attempted to escape and suicide. Then he be- 
came sullenly despairing; but I began to take an 
interest in him, believing that he was not at bottom 
such a desperate character as the surveillants had 


NUMBER 1280 


175 


grown to consider him. I did what I could to 
soften his lot, having him introduced to more con- 
genial work in the bureau; but this was not until 
he had known three months in the Black Cell. 
Some men lose their minds in the Cachot Noir, 
though its horrors have been mitigated of late years. 
But Dalahaide’s brain did not fail; and he has 
proved a valuable man at secretarial work. Also 
during the plague three years ago he volunteered 
as a nurse, and was admirable. You shall see him 
in hospital, since you wish it, and even talk with 
him; but you must not leave New Caledonia with 
the impression that all convicts are like this man. 
Now we will finish the inspection of the prison 
here, and then my carriage shall drive us to the 
hospital, which is at a little distance.” 

How Virginia got through the next half-hour 
she did not know. If she had dared, she would 
have begged to go on at once to the hospital ; but she 
did not dare. It was necessary to submit to the 
delay of being guided through the prison, to be 
shown the galleries and the cells, the Pretoire, and 
to hear patiently the explanation of the Bertillon 
system. At last, however, they were once more 
in the carriage which had been kept waiting for 


176 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


them ; but even then they must still exercise patience, 
for a Disciplinary Camp was on the road along 
which they must pass, and to betray too much 
eagerness to reach their journey’s end (when avow- 
edly they had come to New Caledonia for infor- 
mation) would have been dangerous. At the camp 
they must perforce squander twenty or thirty 
minutes, Virginia and George pretending to take 
notes of what they saw and heard; and then they 
turned westward. Before them stretched a long 
avenue of strangely bent and sloping palms. It 
was the avenue of the hospital. , 

They drove down it to a stone archway, glitter- 
ing white in the sun, and saw beyond a green and 
shaded garden, jewelled with gorgeous flowers, and 
heavy with richly mingling scents. 

“If Dalahaide is no worse to-day, we shall prob- 
ably find him in the garden here,” said the Com- 
mandant. “ He must have read at least half a 
dozen times an old copy of Dante which I lent him; 
the books in the prison library are not much to his 
taste.” 

No one answered, not even Roger. In fact, at 
the moment Roger was more anxious, perhaps, 
than any other member of the party for he realised 


NUMBER 1280 


177 


the existence of a certain danger which Virginia 
and her brother had apparently lost sight of, 
although long ago it had been discussed by them 
all. It had also been provided against; but the 
suggestion that Maxime Dalahaide might be met 
here in the garden, the thought that at any moment 
they might come upon him suddenly and unex- 
pectedly, upset these prudent calculations. 

As Maxime and Roger had known each other 
five years ago, it had been decided that a meeting 
must be avoided at first, lest in his surprise at 
seeing a familiar face — like a ghost from another 
world — the prisoner should cry out, and involun- 
tarily put those who watched upon their guard. 
The three had planned among themselves, when 
this day was still in the future, that if they should 
succeed in their first step, and gain access to 
Maxime Dalahaide, Roger must keep in the back- 
ground until his mind had been prepared by Vir- 
ginia and George Trent for what was to come. 
The other two, as strangers to him, could approach 
the prisoner without risk. But they had expected 
to see him, if at all, in some room or cell, to which 
certain members of the party might be conducted 
by request; while here, in this vast garden, with its 


178 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

ambushes of trees and shrubs, any one of the 
half-hidden grey figures which they could dis- 
tinguish in the green shadows might prove to be 
Dalahaide. 

Roger did not know what to do. He might offer 
to stop behind and wait in the carriage outside 
the garden gates. But if he did this it would seem 
strange and even ungracious to the Commandant, 
who was taking so much trouble to entertain them, 
and to “ seem strange ” was alone enough to con- 
stitute danger. He compromised, keeping behind 
with George, while Virginia walked ahead with the 
old Frenchman. 

In the midst of the garden stood the quadrangu- 
lar building of the hospital, the steep roof forming 
broad verandahs. There were grey figures sitting 
or lounging there also, but the Commandant said 
that Number 1280 would not be found amongst 
these, for he fled as much as might be from the 
society of his fellow-convicts. 

They turned the corner of a shaded path and 
came out under a green canopy made by four large 
palms. A man lay underneath, his head pillowed 
on his arm, his face upturned — a man in the 
sordid prison grey. Virginia Beverly grew giddy, 


NUMBER 1280 


179 


and, brave as she had been so far, for an instant 
she feared that she was going to faint like an 
ordinary, stay-at-home-girl. She started, and 
caught at the arm of the Commandant, who turned 
to her in concerned surprise. 

“ One would think you had guessed that this was 
our man/’ he said in a low voice, for the convict, 
whose face was ghastly pale in the green dusk, 
seemed to sleep.” 

“ I beg your pardon,” whispered Virginia. “ I 
stepped on a stone and twisted my foot. Is this, 
then, the man we have come to find ? ” 

How well she knew that it was he! How well 
she knew, though the terrible years had changed 
the brave young face in the portrait almost beyond 
the recognition of a stranger. All the gay audacity 
was gone, therefore much of the individuality, which 
had distinguished it for Virginia. The strong, 
clear features of the man looked, as he lay there 
asleep, as if they had been carved from old ivory; 
the lines were sharpened, there were hollows in the 
cheeks and under the black line of the lashes. 
Even in sleep the dark brows were drawn together 
in a slight frown, and the clean-cut lips drooped in 
unutterable melancholy. The figure, lying on its 


180 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


back and extended along the grass, appeared very 
tall, and lay so still that it might have been the 
form of a dead man. 

Roger, without seeing the sleeping face, guessed 
by the abrupt stop and the low-spoken words of 
the two in front that Maxime Dalahaide was found. 
He drew back slightly, with a meaning glance at 
George, who stepped forward to join the others. 

Suddenly the black line of lashes trembled; a 
pair of dark, tragic eyes, more like those of Made- 
leine Dalahaide than the laughing ones of the por- 
trait, opened and looked straight into Virginia’s. 
For a few seconds their gaze remained fixed, as 
if the white vision had been a broken dream; then 
a deep flush spread over the thin face of the young 
man, and he rose to his feet. 

“ This lady and her brother have come a long 
way to see New Caledonia,” said the Commandant 
kindly. “ They wish to talk to you.” 

Maxime Dalahaide bowed. Virginia saw that he 
pressed his lips together, and that the muscles of 
his face quivered. She guessed how he must suffer 
at having to gratify — as he supposed — the morbid 
curiosity of a girl, and it hurt her to think that she 
must be the one to give him this added pain. 


NUMBER 1280 


181 


She turned to the Commandant, and, with a 
voice not quite steady, asked if she and her brother 
might speak to the man alone. She felt that she 
should be less embarrassed in her questions, she said, 
if no one listened. With a smile the old French- 
man consented, bowing like a courtier, and joined 
Roger Broom, who stood at a little distance out of 
sight of the convict. * 

“ I thought there was no use embarrassing the 
poor fellow with any more strangers,” Roger ex- 
plained to the Commandant, as they moved further 
away down the path by which they had come. 
“ After all, my place in this expedition is only to 
take a few photographs, wherever they are per- 
mitted;” and he touched the camera, slung over 
his shoulder, of which he had already made ostenta- 
tious use on several occasions. “ May I have a 
snapshot of the hospital, with all those chaps on 
the verandah? Thanks; we must go a little to the 
right, then. By Jove! what a lot of grey figures 
there are about. How do you make sure they can't 
escape, if they choose, out here where they don’t 
seem to be guarded ? ” 

“ It is only ‘ seem,’ ” retorted the Commandant, 
laughing. “ All these men are invalids ; we make 


1 82 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


short work of malingerers. Very few could run a 
dozen yards without falling down, and most of 
them are well contented as they are. But, if any- 
one should be mad enough to attempt a dash for 
reedom, four or five surveillants would be on him 
before he could count twenty. They do not make 
themselves conspicuous here, that is all.” 

Sir Roger Broom looked across the eastern wall 
of the hospital garden, over the green expanse of 
the great lagoon, and thought much; but he said 
nothing. Quietly he prepared to take the sug- 
gested photograph, and the hand that held the 
camera did not shake, though he could guess of 
what, by this time, George Trent and Virginia 
were talking with the convict under the palms. 

When the Commandant had left them alone with 
him, Maxime Dalahaide remained silent. Virginia’s 
beauty filled him — not with happy worship of its 
perfection, but rather with an overwhelming bit- 
terness. He was a Thing, of whom this exquisite, 
fresh young girl wished to ask a few questions, 
so that she might go back to her world, thousands 
of miles away, and say, “ Only fancy, I talked to 
one of the convicts — an awful creature. He had 
murdered a woman, but he was quite quiet, and, 


NUMBER 1280 183 

as my brother was close beside me, I was not one 
bit afraid.” 

Just because he was a Thing, with no right to 
pride and self-respect, she could ask what she 
pleased and he would answer her; but she must 
begin, not he. 

She did begin, yet so differently from the cut- 
and-dried beginning which he had scornfully ex- 
pected, that a flash of vivid amazement swept the 
hardness from the exile’s face. 

“ Be very careful,” she said rapidly in English. 
“ Don’t speak, don’t show anything you may feel. 
Perhaps we are watched. You are Maxime Dala- 
haide. We haven’t come here for curiosity, as you 
think, but to save you. We have come thousands 
of miles for that.” 

“Why?” It was as if the question fell from 
his lips without volition. The man did not believe 
his own ears. He thought that he must have been 
seized with delirium. 

“ Because we believe in you, and because we 
are friend’s of your sister’s,” Virginia answered. 
“ A man you once knew is with us — Roger Broom. 
Do you remember?” 

“ Roger Broom ! ” Maxime repeated dazedly. 


184 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ It is like an echo from the past. Yes — yes, I 
remember.” 

“ It is through him that we have been able to 
reach you. He is close by, but dared not let you 
see him, until you had been warned. Now, we 
must arrange everything in a few minutes for your 
escape ; the Commandant has been kind, but he may 
not give us long together.” 

“ I think I must be dreaming,” stammered 
Maxime, all his bitterness forgotten. “ I’ve been 
ill. I don’t understand things as quickly as I used. 
Escape ! You have come here to — help me to 
escape. Yes, it is certainly a dream. I shall wake 
up by-and-by ! ” 

“ You will wake up free,” said Virginia, not 
daring to raise her voice above a low monotone. 
“ Free, on our yacht, that has brought us from 
France to take you home.” 

Suddenly a glaze of tears overspread Maxime 
Dalahaide’s dark eyes. “ Home? ” he echoed wist- 
fully. “ Home ! Ah, if it might be ! ” 

“ It shall be,” returned Virginia. “ George, tell 
him our plan. You can do it better than I.” 

“ The thing is to get you on board the yacht,” 
said Trent. “ After that, you’re all right. We 


NUMBER 1280 185 

can show our heels to pretty well anything in these 
parts.” 

Dalahaide shook his head. “ There are no words 
to thank you for what you have done, and would 
do for me,” he answered. “ But it is impossible. 
Once, I thought of escape. I tried and failed, as 
others have tried and failed. After the second 
time, they put me in the Black Cell, and I saved 
myself from madness by calling to memory all of 
Shakespeare that I had ever learnt. I don’t say 
‘ impossible 9 because I am afraid of that again. 
I have passed beyond fear of anything. What 
have I left to dread? I know the worst; I have 
lived through the worst that can befall a man. But 
in that dreadful blackness, where my very soul 
seemed to dissolve in night, I realised that, even if 
I could escape, how useless freedom would be if 
my innocence were not proved. I could not go to 
France or England. I should live a hunted life. 
As well be an exile here as nearer home — better, 
perhaps, now that the first bitterness has passed.” 

“ You think this because you’ve been ill, and 
your blood runs slow,” said George Trent. “ All 
you need is to be strong again, and — ■’* 

“ Strong again ! ” echoed Maxime, with sorrow- 


1 86 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


ful contempt. “ I’ve been thanking Heaven that 
I hadn’t strength enough left to care for anything. 
It’s true as you say; the oil in my lamp of life 
burns low, and so much the better for me. What 
I want now is to get it all over as soon as may be. 
You are kind — you are so good to me that I am 
lost in wonder ; yet even you cannot give me a free- 
dom worth having. Take back my love to my 
sister, but tell her — tell her that I am content to 
stay as I am.” 

“ Content to die, you mean ! ” cried Virginia. 
“ Oh, you are ill indeed to feel like this. How 
can you bear to stay here, when you have a chance 
to be a free man — even if not a happy man — to 
stay here, and let your enemy, who sent you to this 
place, laugh and think how his plot against you has 
succeeded ? ” 

The dreamy look of weary resignation on Max- 
ime Dalahaide’s face changed to alertness. “ Why 
do you speak of an enemy, and a plot against me? ” 
he asked. “ That poor girl was murdered ; but I 
have never thought that she was killed because her 
murderer wished to involve me. That part was an 
accident. Liane Devereux — ” 

“ Is not dead/’ broke in Virginia. " She is on 


NUMBER 1280 


187 


our yacht now, in the harbour of Noumea. When 
you come, and she sees you, she will confess the 
whole plot.” 

“ But I saw her lying dead — a thousand times 
that sight has been before my eyes.” 

“ It was not she. If you want to know all, to 
fathom the whole mystery, and learn how to prove 
your own innocence, you will not refuse to do what 
we ask.” 

Maxime’s thin face no longer looked like a carv- 
ing in old ivory. The statue had come to life. The 
spring of hope had begun to stir in his veins. “ If 
it were possible to prove it — at this late day ! ” 
he exclaimed. “ But even if it were — you forget 
the tremendous difficulties in the way of escape. 
How could I reach your yacht? It could not come 
near enough to shore here to pick me up; even a 
small boat would be seen — ” 

“ Not at night,” said Virginia. 

“ Remember, it is moonlight. The night will be 
like day. Long before a small boat could reach 
the yacht from the beach she would be followed, 
overtaken, and not only should I be brought back, 
but I should have the misery of knowing that I had 
been the cause of bringing my brave friends into 


1 88 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


trouble. They would fire upon us. If I was killed 
it would matter little enough; but if you were to be 
shot — ” He spoke to George Trent, but his eyes 
moved quickly to Virginia’s face. 

“ My sister would be waiting for us on board the 
Bella Cuba,” said Trent. “ Roger Broom and I 
will take jolly good care of ourselves — and of you, 
too, if you’ll only give us a chance.” 

“ If you’d come here a month ago,” sighed the 
prisoner, “ before I got this wound in my back! 
Now I’m afraid it’s too late. I’ve let myself go. 
I thought I saw the one door of escape for me open- 
ing — Death; and instead of turning my back I 
walked towards it. I’ve let my strength down. I 
haven’t eaten or slept much, and I began to have a 
pleasant feeling of slipping easily out with the tide. 
Now there’s an incentive to stop, the tide’s too 
strong and I’m too weak. I can’t count on myself.” 

“ Count on us,” said George. “ We’ll see you 
through, you bet. And think of your sister. We 
promised we’d take you back with us. We can’t 
go to her without you, after raising her hopes. It 
would kill her.” Trent glanced at Virginia, as if 
expecting her to add encouraging arguments to his ; 
but she was silent, her eyes alone appealing to Dala- 


NUMBER 1280 


189 

haide. George Trent was her half-brother, and had 
known her all her life, but he felt the thrill of that 
look in the girl’s beautiful eyes. How much more, 
then, must Maxime Dalahaide have felt it, he said 
to himself. 

“ It is the risk for you I think of — if I fail,” the 
prisoner exclaimed. “ If I had only myself to con- 
sider I should hesitate no longer.” 

“ We have come a long, long way to you,” Vir- 
ginia’s eyes said; and her lips would have added 
something had not George’s hand fallen suddenly 
in warning on her shoulder. “ Somebody is com- 
ing,” he whispered. “ For all our sakes, don’t fail 
us, Dalahaide. We shall look for you to-night — 
there,” and he nodded towards the water. “ Make 
your way to the beach and hide among the rocks 
till you see our little boat. Don’t take to the water 
— remember the sharks. If you’re not there to- 
night, we’ll hang about till the next.” 

“ We’ll wait till you come, if we wait a year,” 
said Virginia. 

There was time for no more. The Commandant, 
with Roger Broom by his side, appeared round the 
corner of the winding path near by. 

“ Well, mademoiselle, have we given you time 


190 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


to finish your interview, and has it been satisfac- 
tory? ” asked the old Frenchman good-naturedly. 

“ You have given us just enough time, and it has 
been most satisfactory, thank you,” the girl an- 
swered. “ I hope,” she added, “ to make the very 
best use of it later.” And again her eyes met those 
of the statue that she had waked to life. 


CHAPTER IX 


A CRY ACROSS THE WATER 

I T was night in the harbour of Noumea; a night 
of pitiless, white, revealing moonlight which 
sharpened the black outline of every shadow, and 
made the whitewashed wall of each low house gleam 
like mother-o’-pearl. Had there been no secret 
business on foot, Virginia Beverly’s beauty-loving 
soul would have been on its knees in worship of the 
scene as she sat on the deck of the yacht, which 
seemed not to float in water, but to hang suspended 
in the transparent, mingling azure of sea and sky. 
To her the moon was an enemy, cruel and terrible. 
She would have given her right hand for a dark 
curtain of cloud to be drawn across that blazing 
lamp and the scintillating stars reflected in the 
water like sequins shining through blue gauze. 

Midnight was near, and the yellow lights of the 
town were fewer than they had been. The quay 
was quiet and deserted, and the lie Nou was a black 

191 


192 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

shape in the translucent glitter of the water. On 
the Bella Cuba all was very still, and each whisper 
of the little waves that lapped against the side of the 
yacht came distinctly to Virginia’s ears. 

The Countess de Mattos had not appeared at din- 
ner, but had sent excuses, her head being much 
worse. But it was Virginia’s opinion that, once out 
of sight of Noumea, the lady intended to be con- 
valescent. Kate Gardiner also was in retirement, 
and had for once shown temper even to Virginia; 
but Dr. Grayle’s report of the day was reassuring, 
and as Kate had had no opportunity of doing harm, 
even if she had wished it, she and her grievances 
were dismissed from Virginia’s mind in these su- 
preme moments. 

Her eyes were straining after a small electric 
launch, which was already distant. Virginia could 
not look away, and still she tried to persuade her- 
self that she could not see the little black gliding 
thing distinctly, because, if it was plainly visible to 
her, it must be so to other eyes also — if eyes on 
shore were waking and watching now. 

Suddenly the boat disappeared behind a buttress 
of rock silhouetted on the silver track of the moon, 


A CRY ACROSS THE WATER 193 

and at the same instant the yacht’s anchor began 
slowly to be hauled up. 

Virginia knew what that meant. To-night’s 
work was for Roger and George, not for her; but 
she had each detail of the programme at her finger’s 
ends — indeed, had helped to arrange it. When 
the launch had gone a certain distance from the 
Bella Cuba , on its stealthy way towards the lie Nou, 
the yacht’s captain — an Englishman, discreet and 
expert — had orders to follow slowly. The start 
had not been made earlier, because it was desirable 
that town and prison should be asleep, and the 
danger of discovery minimised. If the yacht were 
seen moving in the night suspicion would be aroused, 
for leaving the harbour of Noumea is a perilous 
undertaking except between sunrise and sunset; yet 
she must move, and follow the boat like one of the 
great black sharks swimming with grim expectancy 
behind her, lest the little bark should be overtaken 
in case of alarm and pursuit. 

No explanation had been given to Captain Gorst, 
who neither needed nor desired any. His orders 
were to follow the boat, and stand in as near the 
lie Nou as possible without arousing attention on 


194 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


shore; there to wait until the launch returned, or 
to approach still closer to the island, if pursuit 
rendered it advisable. These orders Virginia knew 
he would obey to the letter; and she knew also, 
though no word had been spoken to her on the 
subject, that the little cannon, which had been silent 
since the Bella Cuba had been a lightly armoured 
despatch-boat in the American-Spanish War, were 
ready to speak to-night, if worst came to worst. 

It was that vague “ worst ” that troubled Vir- 
ginia’s soul as, almost soundlessly, the heart of 
the Bella Cuba began to beat, and she glided through 
the glimmering water. If only one could know 
exactly where and how to expect the blow, the 
thought that it might fall would be more bearable, 
the girl felt. But one of many things might hap- 
pen to wreck their hopes ; and failure now probably 
meant failure for ever. 

Maxime Dalahaide might be too ill to make the 
attempt to-night, or he might be watched in the 
act of making it. The men in the launch might 
miss seeing him, even if he had contrived to escape 
from the hospital and gain the beach. Or his 
flight might be discovered, and the launch only 
arrive near the shore in time for its occupants to 


A CRY ACROSS THE WATER 195 

see him dragged back to the old life, with all its 
past horrors, and many new ones added by way of 
punishment. Possibly the coral reefs and jagged 
rocks might prevent the launch getting close to 
shore, and Maxime would have to swim out to it. 
Then, there were the sharks. Virginia had already 
seen two or three to-day — hideous, black shapes 
swimming far down below the surface of the clear 
water — and she shuddered as she remembered the 
great snouts and cold, evil eyes of the man-eaters. 
What was that the Commandant had said in the 
afternoon? “ The sharks are the best guardians 
the He Nou can have.” Were those horrible watch- 
dogs of the sea on the lookout now? 

At the same moment, the same thought was in 
the minds of Roger Broom and George Trent, as 
the little electric launch rounded the point of rock 
and lost sight of the Bella Cuba . The water, as 
they looked towards the lie Nou, which must be 
their destination, was a flood of molten silver 
poured from the white-hot furnace of the full moon. 
They knew how black the launch must be on this 
sheet of radiance, how conspicuous an object to 
watchful eyes on shore; and though the glitter- 
ing sheen destroyed the transparent effects of the 


196 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


water here, they guessed what gliding shapes were 
surely upon their tracks, coldly awaiting disaster. 

Sitting in the boat they could not see the hospi- 
tal; not a light was visible in any prison building; 
and they had the feeling that in any one of a dozen 
great masses of shadow armed surveillants might 
be hiding, to spring out upon Maxime Dalahaide 
as he crept towards his friends and far-off safety. 
There was no sound except the crisp rustle of the 
water as the launch cut through it; but as they 
entered the lagoon, where among tall reeds the 
image of the moon lay unbroken like a fallen silver 
cup, a whispering ran through the rushes, as if 
to pass the news of their approach from ear to ear. 

Suddenly a tall figure rose up on a slight emi- 
nence and waved its arms, then disappeared again 
so quickly that it might almost have been a fan- 
tastic shadow ; but quickly as it had come and gone, 
Roger and George knew that their hope had not 
been in vain. Convict 1280 had completed the 
first stage of his journey. He had seen them com- 
ing to the rescue, and he had given them the secret 
of his hiding-place. 

The two men were alone in the launch. Now, 
without a word, Roger Broom headed it for the 


A CRY ACROSS THE WATER 197 

point where the figure had appeared. There was 
a strange confusion of emotions in his brain, which 
still left it clear to act. Under his habitual air 
of lazy indifference he hid strong feelings, and at 
this moment they worked within him like ferment- 
ing wine. In this adventure he was playing for 
great stakes. Twice in the last year had Virginia 
refused him; her love and her beautiful self were 
all that Roger craved for in the world, but he 
had meant never to ask for them again, when this 
mad scheme of rescue had been conceived. He 
had opposed it as foolish and impossible; then Vir- 
ginia had hinted that, if he would join her in it, 
giving help and advice, she would refuse him noth- 
ing. After that day he had thrown himself into 
the adventure heart and soul, saying little, but do- 
ing all that man could do. Though his few words 
had sometimes discouraged Virginia’s ardent hopes, 
he had doggedly meant to succeed if he had to 
die in the supreme effort. He had put his whole 
soul into the work, with no other thought until 
to-day. Then — he had seen what George Trent 
had seen; a certain look in Virginia’s eyes as they 
pleaded with Maxime Dalahaide to free himself. 
Her lips had said: “ Do* this for your sister’s sake.” 


198 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


But her eyes had said : “ Do it for mine/’ Never 
had such a light shone in those beautiful eyes for 
Roger; never would it so shine for him; and he 
knew it well, with a dull, miserable sickening of 
the heart, which was like a pinch from the hand of 
Death. 

In a moment the whole face of the world had 
changed for him. He was a man of honour, and 
he would go on along the path which he had 
traced out for himself; but the wish to succeed in 
his task for the sake of success was murdered by 
that sweet light in a girl's eyes. Something coldly 
calculating said to Roger Broom that it would be 
a good thing for him if Maxime failed to come to 
the rendezvous, on that night or any other night; 
or, if, in case he came, he should be retaken. 
Should this happen, Virginia's implied promise 
need not hold good, but Roger thought he knew 
her generous heart well enough to be certain that 
she would in the end reward him for what he 
had tried to do, even though — not through his 
fault — the fight had been in vain. On the other 
hand, if he and George succeeded in saving Dala- 
haide, in bringing Dalahaide to Virginia — but 
Roger would not quite finish that thought in his 


A CRY ACROSS THE WATER 199 

mind. Resolutely he turned his back upon it, yet 
it grinned an evil, skeleton grin over his shoulder, 
and he could not make his ears deaf to the whisper 
that though he could and would hold Virginia to 
the keeping of her bargain, her heart would always 
have a holy of holies shut away from him. 

Roger hated the cold Voice that explained his 
heart to his head, and he did his best not to listen. 
But all he could compass was not to let himself 
be guided by its promptings. If he had desired 
Dalahaide’s escape as whole-heartedly as before, he 
could have worked for it no harder than he did; 
still, he experienced no warmth of gladness at sight 
of the dark figure silhouetted for an instant against 
a moonlit haze. Trent was not close to him in 
the launch, and yet somehow he felt the thrill of 
joyous relief which shot through the younger man's 
body at the signal, and envied it. But all was 
different with George; he could afford to be single- 
minded. Roger knew very well that George was 
in love with Madeleine Dalahaide, and that there 
was nothing he would not sacrifice for the happi- 
ness of giving her back her brother. 

As Roger Broom wrestle’d with his own black 
thoughts, the launch, which had hitherto slipped 


200 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


swiftly toward its goal, dividing the rushes and 
reeds of the lagoon, refused to move on. The 
lush, green barricade was too thick to be cut 
through by its clean bow and the force of its 
powerful little electric motor. 

“ It’s no good,” whispered George. “ We can’t 
get on any further. This is what I was afraid of. 
He’ll have to come out to us. Thank goodness, 
if we can’t get through, neither can the sharks.” 

“ Where is he? Can you see him?” Roger 
asked. And the Voice was loud in his ears again. 

“No, I wish I could. I don’t like to sing out. 
This luck of ours so far is too good to last.” 

“ Stand up and wave your hand. Perhaps he’ll 
see and reply,” said Roger. 

Somehow he wanted George to take the initia- 
tive now. He was afraid of being unconsciously 
guided by the Voice. 

George stood up and waved a handkerchief. No 
figure rose in response, but as if in answer, they 
heard a distant splashing in the water, and then, 
following so quickly that it blurred the impression 
of the first stealthy sound, came the sharp explosion 
of a shot. Instantly the slumberous silence of the 
tropical night was shattered by a savage confusion 


A CRY ACROSS THE WATER 201 


of noises. Other shots were fired, a great bell 
began to clang, another boomed a sullen echo, and 
from far away spoke the deep, angry voice of a 
cannon. 

“ Good heavens ! that’s the cannon on board that 
beastly steam tub of theirs ! ” cried George. 
“ Lucky for us it’s a makeshift concern and no 
gunboat; but it can catch us on our way back to 
the yacht, and if it does, all’s up.” 

Roger did not answer. His ears were strained 
for the splashing in the water, if still it might be 
heard as an undertone beneath the distant din of 
the alarm. The launch could not advance a foot 
further, if it were to save all three lives; and it 
would take some time at best for Dalahaide to 
wade, and swim, and fight his way to them, among 
the tangling reeds. The escaping prisoner was 
weak still from his recent wound; no matter how 
high his courage might be now, it could not in 
a moment repair the physical waste which he had 
voluntarily allowed to go on, courting the sole 
release he had then foreseen. 

The one chance left, now the alarm was given, 
lay in the hope that, though Dalahaide’s flight from 
the prison hospital had been discovered, the direc- 


202 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


tion he had chosen was not yet known. But the 
lagoon was at least as likely a place for the search 
to begin as any other; and then the launch might 
have been seen moving across the bright streak of 
the moon’s track before it could reach the shelter 
of the rocks on its way to the lagoon. A few 
minutes at most, and the hounds would be on the 
right scent. 

These things Roger told himself, but he had not 
sat still to listen. After the first second of straining 
attention, he sprang up, threw off his coat and 
waistcoat, and kicked off his shoes. 

“ I’m going to help him if I can,” he said. “ His 
strength may fail, or some stray shark may be a 
little cleverer than its fellows and find its way 
through the rushes. Anyhow, here goes; and if 
Dalahaide gets to you before me, don’t wait. Push 
out the best you can, and I’ll catch you up, 
swimming.” 

There was no time for arguing or objecting, 
even if it had been in Trent’s mind to do either. 
Since it was right for one to go, and Roger chose 
to be that one, he must stay ; but, even for Maxime’s 
sake, and for Madeleine’s, he could not, he decided, 
leave Roger Broom to follow — for there were the 


A CRY ACROSS THE WATER 203 

sharks. No, they three must stand or fall together, 
whatever happened now. 

The lagoon, in the spot where Roger left the 
launch, was too deep for wading, nor could he 
swim there. Somehow — he scarcely knew how 
— he seemed to tread water, his feet slipping among 
the slimy, tangled stems that were like a network 
under the surface, a brackish taste in his mouth, 
the rank, salt smell of seaweeds in his nostrils, 
and in his ears a soft, sly rustling which might 
mean the disturbed protest of a thousand little sub- 
terranean existences, or — the pursuit of an enemy 
more deadly than any on land. 

It was a harder task than he had thought; still 
he persevered. “ Dalahaide, where are you ?” he 
called. 

“ Here ! ” came the answer, only a few yards 
away. “ I’m caught in something, and up to my 
knees in mud. I think my wound’s broken out 
again. For Heaven’s sake go back, and let them 
take me. After all, what does it 'matter for me? 
I’m done. A thousand times better die than get 
you all into trouble.” 

“ You all! ” Even in that moment Roger said to 
himself that “ all ” meant Virginia. Dalahaide 


204 ffHE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


was thinking of her. He would rather die than 
she should be punished for this bold attempt to 
break the law. But aloud Roger cried out that he 
would go back with Maxime or he would not go 
back at all, and cheering the other, with death in 
his own heart, he struggled along, half swimming, 
half wading, but always moving on, how he hardly 
knew. Then at last he saw a dark head, and a 
face, white in the moonlight, floating seemingly on 
the reedy surface of the lagoon, like a water lotus 
on its stem. 

Roger grasped a handful of slippery stems and 
held out a strong left hand to the wounded man. 

“ Take hold, and I’ll pull you out,” he said. 

The two hands met, one thin and white with a 
prison pallor, the other brown and muscular and 
dependable. They joined, and Roger held on to 
the bunch of slippery stems so hard that they cut 
into his fingers. Once he thought they were yield- 
ing, but at that instant Dalahaide was lifted out of 
the mud in which he had sunk. Roger caught him 
under the arm and held him up. Scrambling, rust- 
ling, pushing, sinking, rising, spitting out salt, 
brackish water, they struggled back towards the 
launch. 


A CRY ACROSS THE WATER 205 


There it was, waiting, Trent crouching down, 
scarcely breathing in his agony of impatience. 
They saw him, and at the same time their heads 
came into sight for him, among the tall, dark 
spears of the rushes. In another moment George 
in the launch and Roger in the water were pulling 
and pushing Maxime, half fainting now, up over 
the side of the swaying boat. 

As he tumbled in, limply, Roger saw a dark 
stain on the wet, grey convict jacket. It was black 
in the moonlight, but Roger knew it would be red 
by day. The wound in his back had broken out 
again, as he had thought; even if they saved him 
now, it might only be to die. It was the cold 
Voice that said this; and Roger shuddered, yet 
half his nature welcomed the suggestion. “ I’ve 
done what I could do, let him die,” was the answer 
that came. 

Quickly the little launch began to back out 
from the entanglement of the rushes, and as 
soon as there was room George turned her and 
sent her out like an arrow from the lagoon to 
deeper, clearer water. Beyond a certain point of 
rock the Bella Cuba should lie by this time, and 
once on board her all might yet be well, for she 


206 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


could easily show her heels to anything that walked 
the sea in these waters. 

They headed straight for the place where they 
hoped to find the yacht waiting, and with an ex- 
clamation Trent pointed to the sky across which 
floated a black, gauzy scarf of smoke. 

“ Ripping old chap, Captain Gorst,” chuckled 
George. “ That’s his signal. Trust him to be 
where he’s wanted on time and a bit before.” 

But Roger was silent. There was a thought in 
his mind with which he could not darken George’s 
mood by speaking out. Sufficient for the moment 
was the evil thereof. 

They were close to the jutting rock now, and it 
seemed within ten minutes of safety. But some- 
thing shot into sight round the point, something 
big, and black, and swift, with a gleam of fiery 
eyes and a belching stream of smoke streaked with 
fire. 

“ By thunder ! ” stammered George. “ It’s not 
the Cuba. It’s the Government boat, coming down 
on us. We’re trapped, sure as fate.” 

The words rang in Maxime Dalahaide’s ears, and 
reached his dimmed consciousness. The danger 
was not for him alone, but for the others who 


A CRY ACROSS THE WATER 207 


were risking everything to save him. It was this 
thought which seemed to grip him, and shake him 
into sudden animation. He sat up, resting on one 
elbow, not even wincing at the grinding pain that 
gnawed within the lips of his reopened wound. 

“ Not trapped yet,” he said. “ Keep to the right ; 
to the right — not too far out. She daren’t come 
where we are, for she’d be ripped to pieces on the 
reef, and she knows that.” 

“Hark! They’ve spotted us. She’s hailing!” 
cried Roger Broom. 

“ Halte ! au nom de la loi!” came harshly across 
the moonlit space of water, as, obedient to Dala- 
haide’s quick hint, the course of the launch was 
changed. 

The three fugitives were mute, and again a rau- 
cous cry broke the silence of the sea. 

“ Halt, or we fire!” 

“ They’ve two cannon,” said Maxime. “ I was 
mad to bring this on you, my friends. If they 
fire — ” 

“ Let them fire, and be hanged to them ! ” 
grumbled George Trent. “ Two can play at that 
game. In Heaven’s name, where’s the yacht? 
Ah — you would, would you ! ” 


208 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


This in answer to a shot that, with a red blaze 
and a loud report, came dancing across the water, 
churning up spray and missing the launch by a 
man’s length. 

“ Keep her going, George,” said Roger as quietly 
as was his wont. “ Our hope’s in speed now, and 
dodging, till the Bella Cuba takes a part in this 
game.” 

As if the calling on her name had conjured her 
like a spirit for the “ vasty deep,” the graceful 
form of the yacht came into sight. George, ting- 
ling with the joyous lust of battle, could not resist 
a hurrah; but his shout was deadened by the din 
of another shot, and then an answering roar from 
the Bella Cuba. One of those cannon of hers had 
“ paid for its keep ” at last. Now the yacht, and 
everyone on board her — to say nothing of the 
three who wished to be on board — were in for a 
penny, in for a pound. 

The act just committed was an offence against 
law and justice (not always the same) and joined 
hands with piracy. To be caught meant punish- 
ment the most severe for all, possibly even inter- 
national complications. If the French prison-boat 
sunk the yacht and the launch, and drowned every 


A CRY ACROSS THE WATER 209 

soul concerned in this mad adventure, she would 
be within her rights, and the fugitives knew it 
well. The Bella Cuba had flung the red rag into 
the face of the bull, and Roger Broom and George 
Trent thought they saw Virginia’s hand in the un- 
hesitating challenge. Captain Gorst might have 
thought twice before assuring himself that the time 
had come to obey orders given in case of dire 
necessity; but once would be enough for Virginia. 

“She’s given herself away!” laughed George, 
keeping the launch between the lagoon and an 
irregular line of dark horns which, rising just 
above the shining surface of the water, marked 
a group of coral reefs. “ There won’t be much 
doubt in Johnny Crapaud’s mind now as to what 
part that tidy little craft’s cast to play in this show, 
eh? Hello — o!” 

Another blaze and a following roar drew the 
exclamation; but before George had had time to 
draw breath after it, he and Roger and Maxime 
were all three in the water. The ball from the 
little cannon of the prison-boat had done its work 
better this time, striking the electric launch on her 
nose and shattering her to pieces. 

George Trent was a brave man, but his first 


2io THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


thought was “ Sharks ! ” and the horror of it caught 
his throat with a sensation of nausea. The in- 
stinct of self-preservation is strong in all healthy 
men, and, though an instant later he was ashamed 
on realising it, the fear that thrilled him was for 
himself. He expected, as his momentarily scat- 
tered senses told him what had happened and where 
he was, to feel huge teeth, sharp as scythes, meet 
round his thigh and cut off a leg as cleanly as a 
surgeon’s knife. 

While he still quivered with this living horror, 
he remembered that the danger was Roger’s and 
Maxime’s as well as his, and manhood and un- 
selfishness came back. He forgot himself in his 
fear of them, more especially for Maxime — poor 
Maxime, who had suffered so much that it would 
be hard indeed if he were to meet a ghastly death 
in the very act of achieving safety and freedom. 
Madeleine’s beautiful, tragic face rose, clear as a 
star, before his eyes, and he knew that it would be 
reward enough for him if he could give his life 
for the brother she loved so well. If she should 
say afterwards, “ Poor fellow, he died that you 
might live, Maxime,” he felt that the words and 
the gratitude in the girl’s heart would warm him 


A CRY ACROSS THE WATER 211 


even if his grave were to be under these dark 
waters, at the other end of the world. 

He had gone down at first, and a hundred 
thoughts seemed to have spun themselves in his 
head by the time he rose to the surface. Shaking 
the water out of his eyes, he looked anxiously 
round for Roger and Maxime. They were no- 
where to be seen, and a pang shot through George 
Trent’s breast like a dagger of ice. What if one 
or both of them had already met the terrible fate 
which he had pictured for himself? 

His whole soul was so concentrated upon this 
fear that for a few seconds he was deaf and blind 
to everything outside ; but suddenly he realised that 
the firing between the yacht and the Government 
boat was still going on, a further cannonade which 
woke strange echoes over the water. 

“ Roger — Dalahaide ! ” he called. No answer 
came, but, as his eyes strained through the haze 
of moonlight, a dark dot appeared on the bright 
mirror of the sea, moving fast, and a cry was 
raised which, though not loud, carried clearly, and 
seemed to George Trent the most terrible he had 
ever heard. 

“ A shark — a shark ! ” 


CHAPTER X 


“ ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER ” 

I T was Roger Broom’s voice which sent across 
the water that ominous shout so appalling to 
Trent’s ears. Mechanically George swam towards 
the place where the dark head had risen, but as 
he took his first stroke a second head appeared 
beside the other, then both went down together. 

That moment concentrated more of anguish for 
George Trent than all the years of his past life had 
held. He believed that both Roger and Maxime 
had almost before his eyes suffered the most hideous 
death possible to imagine, and he knew that at 
any instant he might share their fate. But that 
thought no longer shook him as before. Since the 
others had died so horribly it would be well that 
he should die too. A moment of sharp agony, and 
all would be over. Better so, since he could not 
go back to Virginia or to Madeleine Dalahaide alone. 
His eyes strained despairingly over the cruel 


212 


“ ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER ” 213 


glitter of the rippling sea, with a cold vague feel- 
ing that he had reached the edge of the world, 
and was looking over into the dim mystery of the 
next. He was young and vigorous, and had loved 
life for its own sake; but, with Roger and Dala- 
haide both dead, there was no longer a full-blooded 
craving for help to save himself in his mind as 
he gazed towards the yacht and the French boat. 
Instead, he wondered with a sickly curiosity how 
long it would be before the filthy brutes, which 
had put an end to his companions, would make a 
meal of him, and whether it would hurt much, or 
if unconsciousness would come soon. Mechanically 
he swam on, more or less in the direction of the 
Bella Cuba and the French boat, which were at 
close quarters now ; and perhaps there was a scarcely 
defined hope in his heart that a stray shot might 
finish him before the hideous “ guardians of the He 
Nou ” found their chance. 

The state of his own brain and nerves became 
a matter of cold surprise to him; the suspense, 
without fear, though tingling with physical dread, 
and the capacity for separation of emotions. He 
found himself thinking of Virginia, and pitying 
her. This would break her heart, he told himself. 


214 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


She would have a morbid feeling that she was to 
blame for the disaster; that she had caused the 
death of her brother and cousin, and the other 
man so strangely important in her life of late. He 
wished that he might talk to her, and tell her not 
to mind, because it was not in the least her fault, 
and she had done nothing but good. 

Then he began to wonder why the yacht and the 
French boat had ceased firing. The latter had only 
two guns, while the Bella Cuba had four, and, as 
he had said to Roger a few minutes (or was it 
years?) ago, she was but a poor “ make-shift ” 
rigged up more as a kind of “ scarecrow ” for 
formats meditating escape, than for actual service. 
Still, she must carry at least ten or twelve rounds 
of ammunition. Could it be that the little Bella 
Cuba had contrived to knock a hole in her hull, 
and that her men must choose between beaching 
her immediately or having her sink? It looked as 
if this explanation might be the right one, for she 
was certainly retiring, and that with haste. To 
beach she must go round the point whence she had 
come in approaching the lagoon, and this she was 
doing, the yacht having no more to say to her. 

“ The Frenchies know what their sea-wolves 


“ ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER ” 215 


have done,” George thought grimly, “ and so they 
can afford to let things slide and save themselves. 
No good sending out a boat and trying to pick up 
their man under the nose of the enemy, for the 
poor fellow’s gone where neither friends nor foes 
can get him. The episode is closed. And all the 
Bella Cuba wanted was to put the prison boat out 
of the running. There’s no good being vindictive. 
I could get to her now, if I liked — provided those 
brutes would let me. But it’s impossible — I won’t 
think of it. Afterwards I should loathe myself for 
being a coward and going back to life without the 
others. I couldn’t have helped them — but it would 
seem as if I might have, and didn’t. Heavens! 
When is this going to end? I can’t bear it long. 
The best thing I could do would be to drown 
myself like a man, and get it over before the worst 
can happen.” 

He flung up his arms, meaning to sink, and 
wondering whether it would be really possible for 
a strong swimmer deliberately to drown himself, 
or whether instinct would keep on countermanding 
the brain’s orders, until exhaustion did the work. 
One last look at the world he gave before the 
plunge, and that look showed him a thing which 


216 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

he could not believe. Between him and the black 
horns of the outer reef he saw once more two 
dark heads close together. 

“ It can’t be!” Trent said to himself; neverthe- 
less, instead of flinging away life, with all his 
strength he struck out lustily towards those float- 
ing dots in the water. Then, suddenly, something 
cold and solid rubbed against his leg. How the 
knowledge of what it was and what to do came to 
him so quickly, and how he acted upon that know- 
ledge swiftly almost as light moves, he could not 
have told; but he knew that a shark was after 
him; he knew that it must turn over on its back 
in the water before the cavernous fang-set jaws 
could crunch his bone and flesh, and like a flash 
he dived. Queerly, as he shot down through the 
water, he thought again of something outside the 
desperate need of self-preservation. “ This is what 
happened when I saw their heads go down before 
and supposed it was all up with them both ! ” he 
said to himself. “ That’s what they are supposing 
about me now, if they’re looking my way. Well 
we shall see. It’s going to be a race between this 
infernal brute and me. I’d bet on him — but the 
dark horse sometimes gets in.” 


“ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER' ” 217 

After that he had no more consecutive thoughts. 
Primitive instinct guided him, and hope was the 
light which marked the goal. The others were not 
dead yet, so he had a right to his life, if he could 
keep it; and towards that end he strained, swim- 
ming as he had never swum before, diving, darting 
this way and that, feeling rather than seeing which 
spot to avoid, which to strive for. At last his foot 
touched rock. He had reached that part of the 
jagged coral-reef which rose out of the sea. He 
ceased to swim, and found that slipping, sliding, 
stumbling on a surface, which felt to clinging 
hands and feet as if coated with ice, and smeared 
with soap, he could scramble up to a point above 
water. He got to his knees, then to his feet, and 
as he stood up, dripping and dizzy, a shout came 
to him. Roger’s voice again ! — but no longer 
sharp with horror and loathing. There he stood 
on another low peak of the reef, and Dalahaide 
was beside him, slimmer, taller, and straighter than 
he, as the two figures were darkly outlined against 
the light. 

They were safe, at least from the sharks; and 
from the Bella Cuba a boat with four rowers was 
swiftly approaching. The reaction of joy after 


218 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

the resignation of despair was almost too great. 
George Trent’s throat contracted with a sob, and 
there was a stinging of his eyelids which was not 
caused by the salt of the sea. 

“ Hurrah ! ” he cried out, waving his hand to 
the two men on the reef, and to the rowers in the 
boat. While his shout still rang in the air a canot, 
such as that in which they had crossed from 
Noumea to the lie Nou, manned by twelve rowers, 
leaped round the point of rock behind which the 
French boat had disappeared, and came straight 
as an arrow for the reef on which the three men 
stood. 

Now it was a race once more for life and death. 
The yacht’s boat had the start, but those twenty- 
four oars carried the canot , heavy as it was, far 
faster through the water. The Bella Cuba could 
not use her cannon lest she should destroy her 
own friends, so nearly did the two boats cross each 
other as both, from different directions, sped to- 
wards the same goal. 

The yachtsmen’s blood was up, and they worked 
like heroes, but they were four to twelve. The 
canot shot ahead, and got the inside track. The 
race, as a race, could now have but one end. The 


“ ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER ” 219 


canot was bound to be first at the spot where the 
runaway forgat and one of his English friends stood 
side by side out of reach of the hungry sharks, 
but not beyond the grasp of justice. The fugitives, 
who had fought so long with the sea, were un- 
armed, while the four surveillants in the canot had 
revolvers, and would either recapture or kill. 

But Maxime Dalahaide spoke a word to his com- 
panion; and, as if the triumph of the canot over the 
yacht’s boat had been a signal, the two sprang 
from the shelf into the sea. George Trent knew 
well what was in their minds; they preferred to 
risk being food for sharks to certain capture; and 
without hesitating for an instant, George followed 
their example. If they could swim under the water 
to the yacht’s boat before the sharks took up the 
prison cause, all was not yet lost, for the boat would 
do its best to dodge the canot , while the Bella Cuba's 
cannon seized their chance to work once more. 

George kept under water as long as he could, 
then came up to breathe and venture a glance round. 
Crack ! went a pistol-shot close to his head, and he 
dived again; but not before he had seen the yacht’s 
boat not thirty yards off. How near the canot lay 
he had not been able to inform himself, but the nar- 


220 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

row shave he had just had gave him a hint that it 
could not be far distant. He aimed for the boat as 
well as he could judge, felt an ominous, cold touch, 
dived deeper for a shark, forged ahead again, try- 
ing to forget the double danger, came up to breathe 
because he must, and could have yelled for joy, if he 
had had breath enough in his lungs, to see that either 
Roger or Maxime was being pulled into the yacht’s 
boat, while a second head bobbed on the water a 
couple of yards away. The air cracked with re- 
volver-shots, but George was not the target now: 
the eyes of the surveillants were for the fugitives 
nearest safety. Whether Roger or Dalahaide were 
hit, George could not tell, but he kept his head above 
water in sheer self-forgetfulness until both had been 
hauled on board. Then he dived again, and when 
he rose to the surface he was close to the boat. It 
was his turn to be helped over the side and to be- 
come a target. Something whizzed past his ear, 
leaving it hot and wet, and he had a sudden burning 
pain in his left arm; but nothing mattered, for there 
were Roger and Maxime, and he was beside them. 
The rowers had set to their work with a will once 
more, not to reach the Bella Cuba with their best 
speed, but to dodge from between her guns and the 


“ ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER ” 221 


canot. Once she could let her cannons speak, the 
canot was no longer to be feared. Brave as the 
Frenchmen were, clearly as they had right on their 
side, from their point of view, they would have to 
recognise that they were helpless, that the rest of 
the battle was to the strong. 

A moment more, and one of the little cannons 
roared a warning. She did not try to hit the 
canot; the message she sent was but to say, “ Hands 
off, or take the consequences.” And the men of 
the canot understood. Not only did they cease 
firing, but began to retire with leisurely dignity 
towards the point which hid the disabled prison 
boat. 

Now, suddenly, when all such peril was over, the 
thought of that slimy, cold touch on his flesh, and 
what it had meant, turned George Trent sick. He 
did not see how he or his friends had escaped the 
horror. If it were to come again he was sure that 
escape would be impossible; and somehow he knew, 
as if by prevision, that there would be nights so 
long as he lived when he would dream of that touch 
in the water, and wrench himself awake, with sweat 
on his forehead and his hands damp. 

“ Roger, are you all right, and Dalahaide, too ? 99 


222 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

he asked, wondering at the weight he felt on his 
chest and the effort it was to speak. 

“ Thanks to Dalahaide, I am all right,” Roger 
answered. “ If it hadn’t been for his quickness and 
presence of mind, twice I should have been nabbed 
by a shark. Weak as he was, he pulled me down 
for a dive that I should have been too dazed to 
think of without 1™!.’’ 

“ I have cause enough to know something of these 
waters and their danger,” Maxime said slowly, as 
if he too found it an effort to speak. “ I was weak, 
yes, but strength comes of great need, I suppose; 
and already I owed you so much. I had to think 
and act quickly ; besides, it was for myself too.” 

“ Thank Heaven it’s all over,” exclaimed Roger, 
with a great sigh. “ We’ve a good doctor on 
board. He’ll know how to make you fit once we 
have you there. And that will be shortly now. 
See, here’s the yacht! In ten minutes you’ll be in 
the state-room that has been ready for you ever 
since we left Mentone a few hundred years ago, 
bound for New Caledonia.” 

“ Yes, your passage was engaged from the first,” 
chuckled George, with an odd little catch in his 


“ ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER ” 223 


voice that would have been hysterical if he had 
been a woman. “ And I’ll bet something you’ll like 
your quarters. Two lovely ladies took a lot of 
trouble with them — your sister and mine.” 

“ I don’t know what to say, or how to thank 
you,” stammered Maxime. “ It goes so far beyond 
words.” 

“ Just try to live your thanks, if you think they’re 
worth while. I reckon that’s what our two sisters 
would say on the subject. Don’t let there be any 
more talk about dying like there was to-day, that’s 
all, you know. And oh, by Jove! doesn’t it feel 
queer to be gabbling this way, when you remember 
what we’ve just come out of — those grinning 
brutes down there, with their red mouths in their 
white shirt fronts, so to speak. Ugh! I don’t want 
to think of it, but I’m hanged if I can help it. I 
say, did those Johnnies’ revolvers do any damage 
here?” 

“ Dalahaide got a bullet in his shoulder, as if the 
wound in his back wasn’t enough to remember the 
place by,” said Roger. “ He says it’s nothing, and I 
hope that’s the truth ” (he actually did hope it now, 
at least for the moment) ; “ as for me, I believe 


224 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


they’ve saved the yacht’s barber a little trouble in 
cutting my hair on the left side, that’s all; luckily 
no harm done to any of our men.” 

All these scraps of conversation had been flung 
backward and forward inside of five minutes. Then 
they were at the yacht’s side. Maxime, forced to 
yield to his own weakness in the reaction now, was 
being helped on board, the others following. 

A slim, white figure, ethereal and spirit-like in the 
sheen of the moon, was waiting to give them wel- 
come. Virginia stood on deck, weeping and laugh- 
ing, Dr. Grayle by her side. 

“ Thank Heaven ! Thank Heaven ! ” she sobbed 
at sight of Maxime. The cry was for him, the look, 
the tears, the clasped hands, all for him. Roger and 
George came together for her in a second thought, 
and Roger knew; though he was not surprised, be- 
cause he had guessed her secret, such joy of success 
as even he, being a man, had felt, was blotted out for 
him. 

Down below, locked into their state-rooms, Lady 
Gardiner and the Countess de Mattos had passed a 
strange and terrible hour, each in a different way. 

To Kate there was little mystery, though much 


“ ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER ” 225 

fear. She had sulkily shut herself up, and, not 
dreaming what was appointed for the night, had 
finally dropped asleep while meditating reprisals for 
the bad treatment she had received that day. But 
though her suspicions had not gone as far as an act- 
ual rescue in dramatic fashion, with the first shot 
from the prison boat which woke her from a sound 
sleep, she divined what was happening. Bounding 
from her berth, while hardly yet awake, she darted 
to her porthole, which was wide open. It faced the 
wrong way to afford her a glimpse of what was 
going on, but she could hear more firing at a dis- 
tance, doubtless at the prison on the lie Nou, the 
ringing of bells, and much tramping overhead on the 
deck of the yacht. She felt the throb of the engine 
too, and though the Bella Cuba had been lying 
quietly at anchor in the harbour when Kate had 
fallen asleep, now she was moving at a rapid rate 
through the water, which gurgled past her sides. 

Kate had known, of course, that they had not 
come thousand of miles for nothing, and the mo- 
ment she was certain that New Caledonia was to 
be the Bella Cuba's destination she realised that an 
attempt would be made to save Maxime Dalahaide. 
She had been anxious to earn the other half of the 


2 26 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


Marchese Loria’s money, and at the same time to 
pay Virginia and George Trent for their secretive- 
ness, by letting Loria hear of their arrival, at least, 
even if she could tell him no more. That desire 
had been thwarted by Dr. Grayle, but Kate consid- 
ered the act merely postponed. Next time they 
coaled — since they must coal somewhere before 
long — she would certainly find a way of wiring to 
Loria, and probably she would have something 
much more definite to tell him, that was all. Ex- 
actly what that “ something ” might be, had been 
rather vague in her mind ; but she had thought that 
Virginia, George, and Roger would most likely have 
found means to communicate with Dalahaide and 
give him hope for the future; perhaps they might 
even try to put in his hands some means of escape, 
after which the Bella Cuba would linger about in 
these waters, out of sight of New Caledonia, until 
he either succeeded in getting away or failed sig- 
nally to do so. This plan Kate had considered not 
beyond the bounds of possibility; or (she had told 
herself) Virginia, who was so enormously, ab- 
surdly rich, might be counting upon bribing some 
lesser prison authority to help the convict to escape. 
So daring a girl, sure of the power of beauty and 


“ ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER ” 227 


wealth, and with millions of pounds to play with, 
might have conceived such a scheme, and have the 
boldness to carry it out. She could offer any bribe 
she liked, and — every man was said to have his 
price. It was conceivable now to Kate that Vir- 
ginia and Madeleine Dalahaide had had confidences 
together, and that the mysterious locked state-room 
had been specially fitted up for the benefit of the 
prodigal. It would be like Virginia to have made 
such a wild plan, and to persuade Roger Broom and 
George Trent to aid her in carrying it out; yet 
Kate had not guessed to what desperate lengths 
they would be ready to go. She had forgotten 
about the yacht’s cannon; but when she heard the 
shot from the French boat she suddenly remem- 
bered them, and wondered, in great terror, whether 
they would be put to use. She realised that the 
trio meant to stop at nothing to gain their end, and 
that this end was to have Maxime Dalahaide out of 
prison at any cost to themselves and others. 

Into the midst of her confused deductions broke 
the yell of a shot from one of the yacht’s guns. 
It was as if the Bella Cuba were alive, and had 
given a tiger-spring out of the water. Kate 
shrieked with fear, and staggered away from the 


228 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


porthole. Her first thought was to run out of 
the state-room and seek refuge somewhere — any- 
where. But, with her hand on the bolt with which 
she had fastened the door, she realised that she was 
as safe where she was as she could be elsewhere, 
in the dreadful circumstances — perhaps safer. 
But she was in deadly terror. As a roar from 
the French boat was answered by another roar from 
the yacht, which again shivered and leaped like a 
wounded thing, her knees gave way under her, and 
she half fell, half crouched on the floor of the state- 
room, shuddering and moaning. The danger 
seemed as appalling, as hopeless to escape from, as 
an earthquake which, go where you would, might 
tear asunder the ground under your feet and bury 
you alive. 

It was clear that the Bella Cuba and the strange, 
ugly-looking steamboat she had seen in the har- 
bour, with its two unmasked cannon, were waging 
fierce war upon one another. For all that Lady 
Gardiner knew, Dalahaide was already on board, 
and the prison boat was giving chase ; yet that could 
not be true, surely, for suddenly the yacht’s engines 
ceased to move; it was as if her heart had stopped 
beating. Had the Bella Cuba been struck? Was 


“ ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER ” 229 


she sinking? Even if not, one of those horrible 
cannon balls might come crashing into the yacht’s 
side at any moment, and everyone on board might 
be instantly killed. 

Kate knew not what to do; whether to remain 
where she was, or to crawl out into the cabin and 
try to find someone — even the hateful doctor — - 
who would tell her how great the danger was, and 
what one must do to be saved from it. She forgot 
all about Loria, and Dalahaide, and her many griev- 
ances, and only knew that she wished to be spared 
from death, no matter whose schemes failed or suc- 
ceeded, or who else lived or died. 

The Countess de Mattos had not been asleep. 
Her headache, perhaps, had kept her nerves at high 
tension, and made rest impossible. As she had 
confessed to Virginia early that morning, on dis- 
covering the name of the next landing-place, she 
did not like New Caledonia. The thought of the 
place, and the secrets it must hold, oppressed her. 
She wondered, with a kind of disagreeable fascina- 
tion which invariably forced her weary mind back 
to the same subject, whether the convicts’ life was 
very terrible; whether they lived long in this land 
of exile, or whether they were notoriously short- 


2 3 o THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


lived. The climate must be trying, and then there 
were countless hardships to endure — hardships 
which must be less bearable to those who had 
known luxury and refinements. She did not like to 
dwell upon anything that was painful or even sor- 
did; and when memory persisted in dragging be- 
fore her reluctant eyes the dead body of any par- 
ticularly hateful scene in her past, as a cat will 
sometimes obstinately lay before its master a rat it 
has mangled, she was in the habit of dulling her 
sensibility by drinking a little absinthe in which 
some chlorodyne had been dropped. 

When she travelled, she always carried two or 
three bottles of the liquor with her, wrapped in 
laces and cambric, in her luggage, for she had 
grown used to it, and could hardly support life 
without its soothing influence now. She was care- 
ful not to take too much, however, for she wor- 
shipped her own beauty; and absinthe was an 
enemy to a woman’s complexion. 

She felt to-night, lying in the harbour of 
Noumea as she had felt sometimes during a furi- 
ous sirocco in Sicily — restless, unnerved, fearful 
of some vague evil, though common sense assured 
her that nothing of the kind she dimly pictured 


“ ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER ” 231 


could possibly happen. She remembered uncom- 
fortable things more vividly and painfully than 
usual, too; and, at last, she could deny herself the 
wished-for solace no longer. She rose from her 
berth, trailing exquisite silk and lace (for the 
woman must always frame her beauty worthily, 
even for her own eyes alone), poured out half a 
glass of absinthe, dropped in her allowance of the 
drug, added water, till the mixture looked like 
liquid opal, and sipped the beverage with a kind of 
dainty greed. 

In a few minutes she had ceased to care whether 
the Bella Cuba lay in the harbour of Noumea or off 
Sydney Heads. What did it matter ? What harm 
could come? 

Presently, lying in her berth, dreamily staring 
out at the moonlight through the open porthole, her 
lovely arms pillowing her head, the Countess be- 
came aware that the yacht was moving. So they 
were getting out to sea again, she told herself. A 
little while ago she would have been delighted, as 
if at an escape, because, as she had said, Noumea 
was hateful, and no place for pleasure-seekers. 
But now that the absinthe and chlorodyne soothed 
her nerves she was comparatively indifferent 


232 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


whether they stopped or steamed away. Nothing 
unpleasant had happened. Of course not; why 
should it? She had racked her nerves, and given 
herself a headache all in vain. Still, it was good 
to know that she would see no more of that terrible 
land of beauty and despair. 

She shut her eyes comfortably, and was on the 
way to the more welcome land of sleep when the 
boom of the gun, which had wakened Lady Gar- 
diner, roused her from her lotus mood of soft for- 
getfulness — the greatest joy which she could ever 
know. 

Her brain was dazed with the liquor and the drug 
she had taken, and she was utterly unable to com- 
prehend the tumult and confusion which followed. 

Kate Gardiner had a clue to the mystery which 
the Countess de Mattos did not possess. The 
Portuguese beauty had no means of guessing what 
had brought the Bella Cuba to Noumea. She had 
never heard anyone on board speak the name of 
Dalahaide, or that of any convict imprisoned at 
New Caledonia, and the firing between the yacht 
and the French boat suggested nothing to her but 
horror. 

She, too, was afraid, half-stunned with fear, and 


“ ONCE ON BOARD THE LUGGER ” 233 


she was angry with herself now for having taken 
the absinthe and chlorodyne, because they pre- 
vented her from thinking clearly — the very thing 
which, a short time ago, she had wished not to do. 
At first she lay still, burying her head in the pil- 
lows ; then she murmured prayers to more than one 
saint, for she was an ardent Catholic; and at last, 
unable to bear the suspense and isolation any longer, 
she threw open the state-room door and ran out 
into the cabin. 

No one was there; but above the sound of tram- 
pling overhead she thought she could distinguish 
voices, and Virginia Beverly’s was among them. 
If Virginia were on deck, the Countess said in her 
mind, it would be well for her to be there too. 


CHAPTER XI 


VIRGINIA’S GREAT MOMENT 

S HE went up on deck, moving dazedly, with a 
strange sense of unreality upon her, as if she 
had somehow wandered into a cold, dim world of 
dreams. 

The firing had ceased, and the yacht was no 
longer in motion. The confused whirlwind of 
brain-shaking events which revolved in her mem- 
ory might now have been a part of the dream in 
which she was still entangled. The Countess de 
Mattos’ beautiful eyes swept the moon-drenched 
scene for enlightenment, but none came. 

They were not now in the harbour, that alone 
was clear; but land was close, and black horns of 
rock stood up out of the shining water as if they 
had broken through a great sheet of looking-glass. 
Across this bright, mirror-like surface a small boat 
was being quickly rowed towards the yacht. It 
was very near now, and several dark figures could 
234 


VIRGINIA'S GREAT MOMENT 235 

be distinguished in it besides those of the four row- 
ers. Another boat, much larger, with more than 
twice the number of oars, swiftly rising and falling, 
was hurrying away in the direction of a high, rocky 
point on the island itself. 

A chill premonition of evil fell upon the wom- 
an's soul. It was like a heavy nightmare weight 
that might only be felt, not seen, and could not be 
shaken off. But the Countess de Mattos had expe- 
rienced this undefinable misery before, when the 
reaction came after taking too large a dose of 
chlorodyne with her “ solace." She hoped that it 
was merely this now — that it was no real warning 
of trouble or threatening danger. 

Virginia stood talking to Dr. Grayle and gazing 
eagerly towards the advancing boat. The Coun- 
tess de Mattos glanced at the two wistfully, longing 
to go to them and ask questions. Yet something 
seemed to hold her back. It was as if a whisper 
in her ear advised that there were things it was 
better not to know. This was ridiculous, of course. 
It was always more prudent to know about disa- 
greeable things before they could happen, and then 
sometimes they could be prevented, or at least 
staved off till one was more prepared to grapple 


236 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


with them. But all the beautiful woman’s pru- 
dence was in abeyance to-night. The quality had 
not been born in her, but acquired ; which can never 
be the same. 

She felt weak and unnerved, with a great long- 
ing to cling to someone stronger and wiser than 
herself. But there was no such person at hand for 
her. These others had their own interests. If 
they really cared for her at all it was because she 
was ornamental, a thing of beauty which it is pleas- 
ant to have within sight; and usually it was very 
convenient to the Countess de Mattos to be consid- 
ered thus. Indeed, most of the luxuries which she 
loved so much more dearly than the necessities of 
life came through her distinct value as an ornament. 
But now what was ordinarily enough for her failed 
to satisfy. She felt horribly alone in the world, as 
if she had slipped upon some terrible ledge of rock 
overhanging a sheer precipice, and there was no 
one — no one on earth to help her back to safety. 
Tears of self-pity rose hot in her eyes as she stood, 
not far from Virginia and the doctor, hesitating 
what to do. 

They were so absorbed in watching the approach 
of the boat that they were unconscious of her pres- 


VIRGINIA’S GREAT MOMENT 237 


ence, and suddenly it began to fascinate the Coun- 
tess de Mattos also, as if it were one of the discs 
which hypnotists give to their patients. She, too, 
bent over the rail and gazed at the boat as the 
rowers brought it nearer and nearer, but she could 
not see the faces of its occupants. For three or 
four minutes she stood thus, and then the boat was 
under the yacht’s side and the men were coming up 
the ladder. 

The Countess moved nearer to Virginia and Dr. 
Grayle. She no longer intended — for the mo- 
ment at least — to catechise them, but it occurred 
to her that, by merely standing within earshot while 
the others exchanged questions and answers, the 
mystery of this night’s alarming work would be 
explained to her. Without being seen by her 
hostess or the little doctor, she was so close now 
that the trailing silk and lace of her robe de cham- 
bre was blown by the light breeze against Virginia’s 
white dress. 

“ Thank Heaven — thank Heaven ! ” she heard 
the girl exclaim as someone came on board. The 
pair in front of her crowded so closely towards 
this person that she could not see who it was, and 
could only suppose that it must be Sir Roger Broom 


238 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

or George Trent returning from some strange ad- 
venture. Then, suddenly, she saw the new-com- 
er’s face, with the moon shining full upon it, 
chiselling it into the perfection of a marble master- 
piece of old, thrown up by the sea from some long 
engulfed palace. 

She stared, incredulous, her breath in abeyance, 
her heart stopped like a jarred clock. Then, over 
Virginia’s shoulder, a pair of dark eyes found hers 
— eyes darkened with tragedy while youth and 
joy should still have shown in their untroubled 
depths. 

Ah, the awfulness of that instant, the ghastly 
horror of it! Something in the woman’s brain 
seemed to snap, and, with a loud shriek that cut 
the new-fallen silence as a jagged knife-blade of 
lightning cuts the sky, she threw out her hands to 
shut away the sight and fell backward, fainting. 

Virginia turned, and knew that her great moment 
had come. 

When the Countess de Mattos came to herself 
she awoke gazing straight upward at the stars, 
which danced a strange, whirling measure as the 
horizon rose and dipped with the swift forging of 


VIRGINIA'S GREAT MOMENT 239 

the yacht. She was lying on the deck, her head 
supported on something low and soft, and Dr. 
Grayle bent over her, kneeling on one knee. 

“ All right again? ” he inquired cheerfully, in his 
blunt way. 

She did not answer, for with desperate haste she 
was collecting her thoughts, linking together broken 
impressions. An awful thing had happened. 
What? she asked herself. Then suddenly the 
vision flashed back to her, and she shuddered. 
Lowering her lids, so that the thick black fringe of 
lashes veiled her eyes, she glanced anxiously about. 
Had it been a vision and no more, or was it real, 
and should she have to meet those accusing 
eyes again? As she debated thus Virginia stepped 
forward. 

“ I think, Countess, that you will do now/’ said 
Dr. Grayle. “ There is a wounded man below who 
needs my services, but refused them until you 
should have recovered.” 

“ Oh, go — go ! ” murmured his patient in irrita- 
ble weakness. 

The little doctor got up, and as he walked quickly 
away Virginia took his place. 

“ Can I do anything for you ? ” she asked. 


2 4 o THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


The Countess shook her head. Her face looked 
lined and haggard, despite its beauty, in the bleach- 
ing light of the moon, and Virginia was almost 
sorry for her. She could afford to pity the woman 
now, she thought, for she had triumphed. Her 
case was proved beyond all doubt, and even Roger, 
who had heard the scream of recognition and wit- 
nessed the fainting-fit, could no longer deny that 
the Countess de Mattos and Liane Devereux were 
one. Virginia would not strike a blow at a fallen 
enemy, and, holding this woman in the hollow of 
her hand, as she believed she did, she was ready to 
give such help as could be given without injuring 
the cause she served. 

“ Wouldn’t you like to go back to your state- 
room?” she went on. “You have had a great 
shock, and — ” 

The Countess sat up quickly, pushing her dis- 
ordered hair away from her eyes. “ I don’t know 
what you mean by a shock,” she said, “ unless you 
refer to the terrible cannonading. That was 
enough, I should think, to frighten the bravest. 
No wonder I fainted. And then, seeing that ghast- 
ly man, dressed like a forqat, all dripping wet, and 
stained red with blood, was the last drop in the cup 


VIRGINIA’S GREAT MOMENT 241 

of fear. I cannot think what horrors have been 
happening to-night.” 

All Virginia’s pity was swept away. Her heart 
hardened towards this tiger-woman. 

“ Cannot you think ? ” she echoed bitterly. 
“ Then I will tell you. We have been rescuing an 
innocent man, who for years has suffered untold 
miseries for a crime never committed. Thank 
Heaven that his sufferings are ended at last, for we 
have him on board this yacht, which is carrying 
him away from New Caledonia at about twenty 
knots an hour, and we have the proof with us which 
will establish his innocence before many days have 
passed.” 

“ It is a crime for a forgat to evade his prison — 
a crime to aid him,” cried the- Countess. 

“ We are not afraid of the punishment,” said 
Virginia, hot, indignant blood springing to her 
cheeks. “ We are ready to face the consequence 
of our actions.” 

The emphasis was an accusation, but the Coun- 
tess de Mattos did not wince under the lash. 
Even a coward may be brave in a hand-to-hand fight 
for life; and it was only physically that she was a 
coward. 


242 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ You are courageous,” she said, almost wholly 
mistress of herself now, “ and, of course, you know 
your own affairs best, dear girl. But I am not so 
brave. This awful night has tried me severely, and 
has come near to spoiling our so pleasant trip. It 
has sickened me, of the sea and of yachting. I shall 
beg to be landed as soon as convenient to you.” 

“ It will be convenient to us when you have con- 
fessed everything in writing,” Virginia flung at her, 
stung into mercilessness by the woman’s brazen 
defiance. “ Then, and not before, you may leave 
this yacht.” 

The Countess de Mattos arose from her lowly 
place as gracefully and with as much dignity as 
such an act could be performed. While she sat on 
the floor and Virginia towered over her, the enemy 
had too much advantage of position. The two 
were of one height, and, standing, they faced each 
other like contending goddesses. 

“ You speak in riddles,” said the elder woman. 

“ Riddles to which you have the key.” 

“ I do not know what you mean, except that it 
seems to me it is your intention to be insolent.” 

“ In your code, perhaps, honesty is insolence. 
But I do not wish to forget that, in a way, you are 


VIRGINIA’S GREAT MOMENT 243 

my guest. I asked you to come for a purpose, I 
admit; yet — ” 

“ Ah ! you admit that. Possibly you will con- 
descend to inform me what your purpose was? ” 

“ My purpose was to make assurance doubly 
sure. To-night I have done this.” 

“ Evidently you do not wish me to understand 
you.” 

“ Say, rather, you do not wish to understand me. 
I think you must do so, in spite of yourself ; but lest 
you should not, I will tell you. I suspected that 
you were the woman whom Maxime Dalahaide was 
accused of murdering. Now I know that you are 
not the Countess de Mattos, but Liane Devereux ! ” 

The woman’s green-gray eyes were like steel in 
the moonlight. “ Maxime Dalahaide ; Liane Dev- 
ereux,” she slowly repeated. “ I never heard 
these names.” 

Virginia was struck dumb by the other’s effront- 
ery, almost frightened by it. If this terrible crea- 
ture withdrew into a brazen fortress of lies, who 
could tell how long a siege she might be able to 
withstand? The girl had been astonished and dis- 
mayed in the morning, when the first sally of the 
attack had failed ; but then her strongest forces, her 


244 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


most deadly weapons, had been still in reserve. 
Now they had been brought against the enemy’s 
defences and — the walls had not fallen; there was 
no sign of capitulation. A cold misgiving began to 
stir in Virginia’s mind. Would it mean failure if 
the Countess de Mattos obstinately refused to tell 
the truth? 

After all, she was only a girl, opposed to a 
woman whose varied experience of thirty years 
or more had endowed her with infinite resource. 
Virginia’s stricken silence gave the other a new 
advantage. 

“As you have said yourself,” icily began the 
Countess once more, “ you are my hostess. You 
flattered me; you made me think that you were 
my friend; you asked me on board your yacht, and 
I came, trustingly, ignorant that, under some 
wild mistake which even now I do not compre- 
hend, you plotted my betrayal. Why, it was a 
Judas act! ” 

“ If I did evil, I did it that good might come,” 
said poor Virginia. “ And it shall come. You 
are Liane Devereux. You were guilty of the 
‘Judas act.’ Maxime Dalahaide loved you; and 
with what motive I don’t yet know, but mean to 


VIRGINIA’S GREAT MOMENT 245 


know, you betrayed him to a fate worse than death. 
For that you deserve anything. Yes, I kidnapped 
you. That’s what Roger called it, and I don’t 
repent now. You are here on this yacht with 
Maxime Dalahaide, and we are on the open sea. 
Unless you jump overboard, you cannot get away 
from your atonement. Atonement — that is the 
word ! Oh, woman, woman — if you are a woman 
and not a stone, think what atonement would mean 
for you. You must have had terrible moments, 
living with remembrances like yours — a man who 
loved you sent to a living grave. Now it is in 
your power to make up to him — ever so little, 
perhaps, but a thousand times better than nothing 
— for the wrong you did. Do this — do it, and 
be thankful all the rest of your life for the blessed 
chance which Heaven has sent you.” 

The Countess laughed. “You change your tone 
suddenly — from threats to an appeal. You would 
make quite a good preacher, but your eloquence 
can have no effect on my conscience, as I have 
not the remotest idea of what you are talking 
about. I had let myself grow fond of you, and I 
was grateful for all these lazy, pleasant weeks, and 
for the money you lent me; but now that I know 


246 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


what was underneath your seeming kindness I am 
no more grateful, and I shall do my best to punish 
you for the wicked trick you have played upon 
me. As for attempting to prove that I am — what 
name did you give the woman? — well, anybody 
except myself, you will find it impossible. I have 
powerful friends who would travel far to save me 
from any trouble. You cannot keep me a prisoner 
on board this yacht. You must touch again at 
land before long, and then I shall go away and 
tell everyone what has happened on your Bella 
Cuba.” 

“ We shall see,” said Virginia. 

“We shall see,” echoed the Countess. " And 
now I am going to my state-room. Perhaps I may 
hope to be free from persecution there.” 

She swept away, looking gorgeously beautiful, 
and as proud as a queen bent on holding her crown 
against the people’s will. 

Virginia stood still, watching her; and when 
the tall, stately figure had disappeared, a crushing 
sense of defeat fell upon the girl. 

Only a few moments ago, as time counted, she 
had felt that, with Maxime Dalahaide’s rescue, she 
had every wish of her heart fulfilled. But now 


VIRGINIA’S GREAT MOMENT 247 

she saw the position of affairs with changed eyes. 
It was as different as a flower-decked ball-room 
seen by the light of a thousand glittering candles, 
and again by sunrise when the candles had burnt 
down and the flowers faded. 

Maxime was out of prison; there was that, at all 
events, to be thankful for, and there was nothing 
at New Caledonia which could even attempt to 
give chase to the wicked little Bella Cuba. Never- 
theless, the French Government had a long arm, 
and would not quietly let a convict sentenced for 
life be snatched away without making a grab to 
get him back again. Virginia had known this from 
the first, but when Roger had pointed the fact out 
to her as one of the difficulties to be encountered, 
she had said in the beginning: “ If we have the 
luck to rescue him we shall have the luck to hide 
him,” and afterwards, when she had seen the 
Countess de Mattos at Cairo, she had amended the 
prophecy by saying: “ If they catch us we shall 
be able to prove his innocence.” 

It had all seemed very simple, and she had been 
impatient with Roger for bringing up so many 
discouraging objections to her impulsively formed 
plans. He had gone in with them at last, without, 


248 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


however, pretending to be convinced, and she had 
bribed him with a virtual promise of marriage. 
He had done all that she had asked of him, and 
more; and she would have to keep her promise, 
but — had she accomplished enough that was good 
for Maxime, to pay for the sacrifice? It would 
be a sacrifice — a greater one than she had known 
at first, greater than, somehow, she had realized 
until to-day. She must pay the price ; and Maxime 
— what of him? 

If his innocence could not be proved, through 
the dead woman miraculously come alive, he 
could never, at best, go back to France; and as 
the crime of which he was accused came under the 
extradition treaty, he would be safe nowhere. He 
must — as he himself had said — lead “a hunted 
life,” wherever he might be. Neither money, nor 
influence, nor yearning sister-love, nor — the love 
of friends who would give their heart's blood to 
save him, could shield Maxime Dalahaide from 
the sword of Damocles, ever suspended, ever ready 
to fall. 

When the Marchese Loria received Lady Gardi- 
ner’s telegram from Sydney, he was stunned. 


VIRGINIA’S GREAT MOMENT 249 


“ Leaving here to-morrow,” the message ran ; “ des- 
tination unknown.” 

Unknown to her the destination might be, but 
it was not unknown to him. He was almost as 
sure that the Bella Cuba was bound for New 
Caledonia, as if Dr. Grayle had allowed Kate 
Gardiner to send her desired word from prison- 
land; and although he had constantly assured him- 
self that if Virginia did go there it could do no 
harm, now that he was mortally certain she would 
go, he quivered with vague apprehension. 

At first, he could not force his mind to concen- 
trate itself upon the intricacies of the situation. 
He walked up and down his room, like a caged 
animal, trying to think how, if it were by moving 
heaven and earth, he could prevent Virginia Beverly 
and the convict Max Dalahaide from coming to- 
gether. Then, with the thought that they might 
meet seething in his head, he would stop abruptly 
and say to himself, as he had said so often before : 
“Nonsense; you are a fool. They cannot come 
together. There is everything against it.” Still, 
the root of fear was there, and grew again as soon 
as burnt away. 

If he chose, he might send a warning to the 


250 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


prison authorities at New Caledonia. He could 
say that the Bella Cuba was a suspicious craft, and 
ought not to be allowed in the harbour for a single 
hour. But to do this, he would be obliged either 
to proceed to Paris and give satisfactory reasons 
why such proceedings should be taken, or wire 
the warning message himself, signing his own name. 
No other method would be of any avail, as the 
governor of the prison would pay no attention to 
an anonymous telegram, and there was now no time 
to write a letter. He would be obliged also to as- 
sert positively that he knew the Bella Cuba's errand 
to be treacherous ; and, whether he went to 
Paris, or telegraphed, through Sydney, to New 
Caledonia, in either case Virginia was certain to 
find out, later, what he had done. Such secrets 
could not be successfully hidden, and she would 
hate him for his interference. If there was little 
hope for him now, there would be* none then. 

When his wits began to work he regarded the 
situation from all points of view. He admitted 
the remote — extremely remote — possibility that 
the party on the Bella Cuba might actually contem- 
plate a rescue. He would almost have been ready 


VIRGINIA’S GREAT MOMENT 251 

to stake his life that, if such an attempt were made, 
it would fail ignominiously, with disaster to all 
concerned — perhaps death to more than one. But 
— it might succeed. If it did, what would happen? 

They would not dare to put back to Sydney 
Heads. The yacht must be coaled and provisioned 
somewhere. He consulted maps, and saw that 
the most likely place for the Bella Cuba to proceed 
on leaving New Caledonia was Samoa. It seemed 
to him that she must go there, in any case. 

Loria did not wish to appear as an active enemy 
of Maxime Dalahaide’s. It was largely owing to 
his efforts on the prisoner’s behalf that Max had 
been saved from the guillotine, and all the Dala- 
haides must have known that. Virginia, no doubt, 
knew it too. But what was to be done, if he were 
not to fling aside the cloak of his reputation as a 
friend of the unfortunate family? The spirit of 
high romance ran in Virginia Beverly’s blood. 
She was capable of marrying an escaped prisoner, 
and sharing his miserable, hunted existence. Such 
a thing must not be. Loria felt that it would be 
less bearable to lose her through Max Dalahaide 
than through any other man. He would rather 


252 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


see her Roger Broom's wife than Maxime’s but 
he had not yet given up all hope of having her 
for his own. 

He would have just time to go to Samoa and 
meet the Bella Cuba there, if he started at once. 
The yacht would not leave Sydney Heads till next 
day, according to the news of the telegram. Then 
it would take her ten days more to reach New 
Caledonia. There she was sure to remain for some 
hours, at the very least. If he, Loria, caught a 
certain “ greyhound of the sea ” which was sailing 
from Cherbourg for New York the following 
morning, took a fast express from New York for 
San Francisco, and then sailed immediately for 
Samoa, he could not fail to be in time for the Bella 
Cuba. But the important thing was to find an ex- 
cuse to account for his being there when the Bella 
Cuba arrived. 

He was not, luckily for his present plan, sup- 
posed to know for what ports the yacht had been 
bound; therefore, if he went to Samoa to visit his 
friend the French Consul, who had once really 
invited him to do so, even Virginia need not sus- 
pect his motive. His opportune appearance might 
pass merely as a rather odd coincidence. 


VIRGINIA’S GREAT MOMENT 253 

If the Bella Cuba took away a fugitive on board, 
the authorities at New Caledonia would not remain 
idle. They would at once wire to Sidney of a 
convict’s escape, and the telegram would be sent 
on to Samoa from there. A description of the 
yacht would be given, and inquiries would be made. 
But those inquiries! It was because of them that 
Loria was ready to make so strong an effort to 
be there in time. Without him, the fugitive from 
justice might be allowed to escape, despite the ex- 
tradition treaty. With him, Loria thought that 
he saw a way to make the detention of the prisoner 
sure, and that without showing the hand he played. 

He had not lost many hours in indecision. As 
soon as he had made up his mind what to do, he 
wired to find out if there were still a berth to be 
had on board the New York bound ship sailing 
from Cherbourg next day. Even if he had been 
forced to travel in the steerage he would have gone, 
though he keenly disliked physical hardships ; 
but he was fortunate, and obtained a good cabin 
for himself. As soon as this matter was arranged 
he left for Cherbourg; and the next day, on board 
his ship, gazing across the tumbled grey expanse 
of sea, he thought of Virginia on her little yacht, 


254 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


and smiled. About this time perhaps, the Bella 
Cuba was steaming boldly from Sydney Heads, 
bound for New Caledonia — on what strange, 
desperate errand, who could tell? The girl’s heart 
was beating high with hope, no doubt. How little 
she guessed that, half across the world, a man 
was setting forth to defeat her plans, even if they 
attained success! 


CHAPTER XII 


STAND AND DELIVER! 

T HE Marchese Loria had always been lucky 
in games of chance. In this biggest game 
of all Fortune still stood behind him and, with 
a guiding finger, pointed out the cards to play. 

There were no delays in his programme. His 
ship arrived in port precisely at the appointed hour. 
He was able to go on immediately to San Fran- 
cisco. There he was just in time to catch a boat 
for Samoa. He wired to his friend, Monsieur de 
Letz, the French Consul, that he was coming, and 
received an enthusiastic welcome. The Consul was 
a bachelor, approaching middle age, was intensely 
bored with the monotony of life on an island of 
the Pacific, and was ravished with the chance of 
entertaining a personage so brilliant in the great 
far-away world as the Marchese Loria. He had 
a charming house and a good cook ; some good wine 
also and cigars of the best. Loria arrived at din- 
255 


256 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


ner-time, and afterwards, smoking and talking in 
the moonlight on a broad verandah, the guest led up 
to the question he was half dying to ask. 

“ Have you heard any exciting news lately ? ” 
he airily inquired, in a tone that hovered between 
pleasantry and mystery. 

“ Does one ever hear exciting news in this 
place?” groaned the French Consul. “ Nothing 
has happened for years. Nothing is ever likely 
to happen again now that we have become so dull 
and peaceful here.” 

“ No news of another visitor? ” 

“ Another visitor ? ” 

“ A gentleman from New Caledonia.” 

“Mon Dieu! how did you know that? ” 

“ Is it then so difficult to know, mon ami? ” 

“ One hopes so. It is not good that these things 
should leak out and reach the public ear. The 
information is very private. The authorities at 
home and abroad do all they can to keep it dark, 
and yet it seems — ” 

“ My ear isn't exactly the 1 public ear/ as I’ll 
presently explain. But it is a fact, then, that a 
convict has escaped from the lie Nou, and you 


STAND AND DELIVER! 


257 

have got word that he is likely to turn up here on 
board a steam yacht ? ” 

“ It is a fact. I see you have the whole story. 
But how did you get it ? ” 

“ I’ll tell you that later. First, just a question 
or two, if you don’t mind, for I happen to be inter- 
ested in the affair. How long ago did the fellow 
get away — or rather, when may the yacht, the 
Bella Cuba , be expected here, if at all? ” 
iC She might come in to-morrow.” 

Loria gave a long sigh. He was lying back in 
a big easy-chair and sending out ring after ring 
of blue smoke, which he watched, as they dis- 
appeared, with half-shut eyes. One would have 
fancied him the embodiment of happy laziness, 
unless one had chanced to notice the tension of 
the fingers which grasped an arm of the chair. 

“ What will happen when she does come in ? ” 

“ Oh, trouble for me, and nothing to show for 
it.” 

“ What do you mean ? ” — with a sudden change 
of tone. 

“All I could do, I have done; which is to in- 
form Government authorities here that on board 


258 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


the expected yacht is a runaway forgat belonging 
to France, and ask that he be arrested on the yacht’s 
arrival.” 

“ And then?” 

“ Then a boat will go out to meet this Bella Cuba 
as she comes into the harbour, and she will be 
requested to give up the man. Her people will say 
that there’s no such person there, and refuse to let 
anyone on board.” 

“ But surely you could detain the yacht and 
search? The Bella Cuba comes from Sydney and 
New Caledonia. If you had reason to believe that 
there was a case of plague on board, for instance, 
the yacht would be quarantined.” 

“ Yes; but if she were detained, and the convict 
found on board, he couldn’t be identified by any- 
one here. There has been no time for a photo- 
graph to arrive from New Caledonia. He won’t 
be dressed like a convict; his hair will have grown. 
I have only the description telegraphed. His 
friends will take care he doesn’t answer to that. 
Even if the Government fellows here had any 
pluck and wanted to attempt an arrest, they wouldn’t 
dare, with no one to identify the forgat . You see, 


STAND AND DELIVER! 


259 

the yacht will be flying the English or American 
flag, and so — ” 

“ I can identify him.” 

“ You? There is a mystery then. I scented it 
at your first words.” 

" Scarcely a mystery. You have been very good 
to answer my questions. Answer one more now, 
and I’ll explain everything. Suppose I can put you 
in the way of identifying this man, without chance 
of error; suppose I can put you up to a trick for 
detaining the yacht, is there any hope, if I proved 
to you it would be for your own advantage, as well 
as of everybody else concerned, that you could have 
the man arrested, and sent back where he deserves 
to be?” 

> The Frenchman hesitated. Then he said slowly, 
and more gravely than he had yet spoken, “ Yes, 
I think I could.” 

“ That is well, for he is a fiend in human shape, 
not fit to be at large. Worse than all, if he escapes, 
he is almost certain to ruin the life of the woman I 
love, and end my hopes of winning her.” 

“Mon Dieu! we must send him back to New 
Caledonia, to spend the rest of his life in the Black 


260 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


Cell ! ” enthusiastically exclaimed de Letz. “ But 
my curiosity is on the stretch. A moment more 
unsatisfied, and it snaps.” 

“ It shall be satisfied on the instant. IT 1 tell you 
the story in as few words as may be. You re- 
member the crime committed by this fellow — for 
of course you know that, before he was Convict 
1280, he was Maxime Dalahaide? ” 

“ I know that. I know he is a murderer. But 
it is eight years, you must recollect, since I was 
in France, long before the thing happened. I took 
no particular interest in the crime, as I had never 
met the Dalahaides. He killed a woman: so much 
I recall. You were acquainted with him, I sup- 
pose.” 

“ To my sorrow. I thought he was my friend. 
He was a traitor. I cared for his sister. She 
loved and would have married me; but because 
I knew too much about him and his evil ways, he 
did not want me in the family. He told the girl 
and her parents lies. They believed them and sent 
me away. He borrowed huge sums of money of 
me, and never paid — never meant to pay. Always 
he was my secret enemy, yet when the world knew 
he was a murderer I strained every nerve to save 


STAND AND DELIVER! 261 

his life, for his sister’s sake. I did save it. But 
for everyone concerned it was better that he should 
be removed where he could no longer strike at 
society, and I could scarcely regret his fate. Four 
years passed; I loved again, this time a beautiful 
American girl, the most perfect creature I have 
ever seen, and a great heiress. Madeleine Dala- 
haide had learnt to detest me. She prejudiced 
this girl against me, and, not satisfied with that, 
excited her romantic nature to sympathy for the 
murderer, as a victim of injustice. The Bella Cuba 
is this girl’s yacht, — Miss Beverly’s. She bought 
it in the hope of rescuing Maxime Dalahaide, and 
if he can escape, there is little doubt that she will 
put her hand in his, red though it is with a detes- 
table jcrime. She must be saved from so ghastly 
a fate. But if she learns that she owes the failure 
of her plans to me, she will hate me to the death, 
and I shall lose all hope of her; whereas if my 
agency in this affair could be hidden from her 
knowledge, the chances are that, if I could keep my 
head, I might win back her heart, after it is healed 
from its first disappointment. Help me to accom- 
plish this, de Letz, for the sake of old times, and 
there’s nothing you can ask of me that I will not 


262 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


do. Italian though I am, you know that my French 
cousins have powerful political influence. They 
shall use it to the utmost for you, and get you what 
post you please. I promise it — and I never break a 
promise to a friend ! ” 

“ You fire me with your own enthusiasm! ” cried 
de Letz. “We shall work the thing between us. 
But if you, and you alone can identify this man, how 
will your part in the business be kept dark ? ” 

“ I will tell you how. I have brought several 
photographs of him, which I have always kept with- 
in reach. These I will give to you, and you can use 
them. If possible, I should, however, like to appear, 
not in the character of an enemy, but that of a 
friend. You may think this a low way of playing 
the game ; but, you know, ‘ all is fair in love and , 
war/ I want Miss Beverly to think I am here at 
this time by chance; that I have tried to soften 
your heart towards Dalahaide, and that I come with 
you, not as your ally against her, but to offer her 
and her cause what help I can. Of course, I shall 
fail in that effort, and you will win; but the little 
comedy will have brought me the girl’s gratitude, 
which is worth all the world at this ticklish stage of 


STAND AND DELIVER! 263 

the game. Will you aid me to play the part on 
these lines ? ” 

De Letz laughed. “ So, I am to be the villain of 
the piece? Well, I do not mind. We will stage 
the play realistically, and I — ” 

“ And you will never regret your role in it,” re- 
turned Loria. 

Before the Bella Cuba left Mentone all probable 
contingencies of the mission had been foreseen, and 
as far as possible provided for, by Roger Broom, 
George Trent, and Virginia Beverly, in council. 
They had talked over what must be done in case 
of failure or success, and the only event which 
Virginia had not felt able to discuss had been the 
death of one or more of the three men concerned 
in the rescue. They knew that, if the Bella Cuba 
should be lucky enough to get away from New 
Caledonia with Max Dalahaide on board, the news 
of the convict’s escape would certainly reach the 
next port at which they must touch, before they 
could arrive there. Virginia’s hope had been, 
after meeting the Countess de Mattos, that the 
woman’s confession would exculpate Maxime, and 


264 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


that the peace of his future would be secured by 
the great coup of “ kidnapping ” her. But now 
this glimpse of brightness seemed likely to prove a 
mirage. Virginia was as sure as ever that Man-* 
uela de Mattos was Liane Devereux; even Roger 
Broom's contrary opinion had been somewhat shak- 
en by the woman's horrified shriek at sight of Max 
Dalahaide's white face and tragic eyes in the moon- 
light. But the Countess had hardened once more 
into marble self-control, and Maxime, after an hour 
or two on board the yacht, had fallen into a state 
of fever and delirium. For the time being he could 
do nothing to assist in proving her identity ; indeed, 
even if he had kept his senses, he might not have 
been able to swear that she was Liane Devereux, so 
many were t the differences of personality. Months 
might have to pass before the truth of the strange 
conjecture could be proved — if it could ever be 
proved — while the Countess de Mattos remained 
entrenched in her strong position as a much injured 
and innocent lady. 

They could not count upon her, and were forced 
to rely wholly upon the plan formed before the 
beautiful Manuela had entered into their calcula- 
tions. On reaching Samoa it was to be, as George 


STAND AND DELIVER! 


265 


Trent expressed it, a “ game of bluff.” One hope 
of saving Max lay in the fact that no photograph of 
of him could have arrived from New Caledonia; 
there were a hundred chances to one that there 
would be no one at Samoa who had ever seen him ; 
he could not therefore be positively identified, and 
as the Bella Cuba , owned by an American girl, flew 
the stars and stripes, it was not likely that the au- 
thorities would care to invite trouble by attempting 
to detain a yacht sailing under American colours. 
It was well known to the initiated also, that suc- 
cessful “ evasions ” from the French penal settle- 
ments were hushed up with nervous caution, when- 
ever possible, and that the news of even an 
attempted escape was seldom printed in French 
papers. This was another advantage for the guilty 
Bella Cuba. It might be considered better to let 
one convict go free, than precipitate an international 
complication, a world-wide sensation, especially as 
there was no one with a personal interest to serve 
in recovering this particular prisoner. 

They steamed boldly on towards Samoa. The 
morning that the island was sighted, Dr. Grayle had 
pronounced Max Dalahaide better. The delirium 
had passed. He was quiet, though still very weak. 


266 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ I suppose he wouldn’t be able to confront that 
wicked woman and accuse her to her face ? ” asked 
Virginia of the little brown man. 

Dr. Grayle shook his head. “ Not yet,” he said. 
“ Our motto must be forward, but not too fast. 
He isn’t fit yet for any strong excitement, since we 
don’t want to risk a relapse now that he’s getting on 
so well. I was rather afraid the sight of all those 
souvenirs of the past in his cabin would upset him 
when he should be in a state of mind to recognise 
them, but the effect has apparently been precisely op- 
posite. At first, before he entirely realised things, 
and remembered where he was and how he got there, 
he seemed to think that he was at home, and was 
continually talking to his mother or sister, or calling 
for his father, sometimes in English, sometimes in 
French. Now he knows all, and when he heard 
how it was your thought and his sister’s to have so 
many familiar objects surrounding him, to give an 
atmosphere of home to the cabin prepared in case 
of a rescue, the tears came to his eyes, and he turned 
away his head on the pillow to hide them from me. 
He believes that, even in his unconsciousness, these 
things must have made an impression upon his 
mind, and by their soothing influence drawn his 


STAND AND DELIVER! 


267 


thoughts towards home, otherwise he must have 
raved about the prison in his delirium, instead of 
returning to old, happy days. So you see, Miss 
Beverly, he has one more reason to thank you, this 
poor fellow who has suffered so much, and Icept so 
brave and strong through all.” 

Virginia had been pale of late, but she flushed at 
these words. “ You believe him innocent, Dr. 
Grayle ! ” she exclaimed. “ You wouldn’t speak of 
him like that unless it were so.” 

“ No one could have been with him as I have 
these past few days, and not believe him innocent,” 
said the little doctor in his quiet voice. “ Sir Roger 
thinks as I do, too, now. You will be glad to hear 
that.” 

“ I am glad,” Virginia answered. But Roger 
was not glad. Above all things he was just — 
sometimes in spite of himself. He had helped to 
nurse Max Dalahaide; he had changed his opinion 
of him, and felt bound to say so; yet he was not 
glad to change. He would have preferred to go on 
believing Dalahaide a guilty man. 

Virginia had not the key to Roger’s heart, how- 
ever, and she did not know that he had the key to 
hers — to one hidden place there into which she had 


268 THE CASTLE OE THE SHADOWS 


hardly dared look. She would have kept it always 
locked, even from herself, if she could ; but because 
she knew there was something there to hide, she in- 
vited Roger to go with her when Max sent word 
through Dr. Grayle, begging to see his hostess. She 
did not want Roger to be present when she talked 
with Maxime Dalahaide for the first time since his 
escape. She would have liked to be alone with him, 
if that had been possible; but for the very reason 
that the wish was so strong in her heart, she denied 
it. Her cousin Roger had risked his life to please 
her, and she had a promise to keep. She meant to 
keep it; and he had a right to be by her side when 
she went to the man whom he had so nobly helped 
to save. 

But Roger refused. “ No, dear,” he said. 
“ Soon we shall be in the harbour at Samoa. There 
is plenty to do. I want to be on hand with George 
to do it. Let Dr. Grayle take you to Maxime. 
He will know how long and how much it is best for 
him to talk.” 

“ We will be in harbour so soon?” exclaimed 
Virginia. “ The Countess ! She will try to get 
away, you know.” 


STAND AND DELIVER! 269 

“ She’ll try in vain/' responded Roger. “ We 
won’t give her a boat.” 

“ But there’ll be ships and boats in the harbour. 
She may call for help, and make us trouble.” 

“ I’ll see to her,” said Roger. “ I don’t think we 
shall get much good out of detaining her; but we’ve 
gone so far now, we may as well go a little further.” 

They were talking in the saloon, out of which the 
cabins opened, but they had spoken in low voices, 
guarding against being overheard. Nor could they 
have been overheard, unless by someone making a 
special effort to listen. Such an effort the Countess 
de Mattos was making. She had kept to her cabin 
since the eventful night of the escape from New 
Caledonia, and had demanded her meals and other 
attentions with an air of an insulted queen claiming 
her just rights. She always bent herself eagerly 
to listen when she heard the murmer of voices in the 
saloon, especially if they seemed suppressed. She 
did not now catch every word, but she heard “ the 
harbour of Samoa ” ; “ soon in ”; “ the Countess — 
try to get away ” ; “ call for help — make us trou- 
ble ” ; “ I’ll see to her ” ; and she pressed her 
lips together in fierce anger, her delicate nostrils 
quivering. 


270 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


From her porthole, she had not seen the land in 
sight, and had had no means of knowing that the 
time for her to act was so near at hand. Since the 
night of her terrible shock, she had revolved many 
plans in her mind, but the only one upon which 
she had definitely decided was to leave the Bella 
Cuba at all costs, and as soon as possible. Her 
nerves were not in a state to stand an indefinite 
strain, and she realised that she could not bear much 
more. Even with the chlorodyne and absinthe she 
hardly slept now, and she scarcely cared to project 
her thoughts beyond the time of escape from the 
hateful yacht. 

Now, she had one thing for which to thank 
Virginia Beverly; the suggestion that she should 
call for help when the Bella Cuba had steamed into 
the harbour of Samoa. At once her excitable brain 
seized the picturesqueness of a dramatic situation. 
She saw herself, effectively dressed, rushing to the 
rail and hailing any passing ship which might be 
nearest. Sir Roger Broom, or her late friend, 
George Trent, might try to stop her, but their vio- 
lence would be seen from some other ship, and her 
cause against them would be strengthened. 

Surely her appeals would not be ignored; men, 


STAND AND DELIVER! 


271 


of whatever class or country, were never blind to 
the distress of a woman as beautiful as she. Yes, 
she would be rescued. The story that she would 
tell must arouse indignation against Virginia 
Beverly and her companions. She herself had 
nothing to fear — nothing. And the man on whose 
advice she had spent years of exile would admire 
her more than ever, when he knew what she had 
endured, without breaking down. The end of her 
probation had come. The reason for delay had 
disappeared now, after all these years. They 
would marry, he and she, and he would help her to 
forget the past. 

Manuela’s reflections did not cause her to waste 
time. They were a mere accompaniment to her 
rapid action. Virginia had said they would soon 
be in the harbour. She must prepare herself to 
leave the yacht, and get ready to carry with her such 
things as were indispensable. Hurriedly she threw 
off the robe de chambre of silk and lace which she 
had been wearing, and put on a charming dress, 
suitable for travelling. The long outstanding ac- 
count for this confection had been paid with Vir- 
ginia Beverly’s money; but that was a detail. 

When she was ready to go up on deck — which 


2 72 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


she would do as soon as the yacht dropped anchor — 
she took her jewels from the large leather box 
where they were kept, and wrapping everything in 
a soft silk scarf, she stuffed the thick parcel into a 
handbag, which already held several mysterious- 
looking bottles with the labels carefully taken off. 
This bag was always locked, except when the 
Countess was at her toilet; then, for a brief time, 
the bottles came out, and a few tiny boxes and 
brushes ; but she never forgot to put them back into 
the bag again, turn the key, and slip the latter on to 
the gold key-ring which she wore on her chatelaine. 

The bag packed with jewels, as well as its legiti- 
mate contents, Manuela turned her attention to the 
larger luggage. This she could not carry away 
with her, if she were gallantly rescued from her sea- 
prison by a coup d’ etat ; but it would be as well to 
have the things which she most valued ready to go 
later. She had filled her cabin-box, and was in the 
act of locking it, when' the yacht’s screw ceased to 
throb. The Bella Cuba had stopped. Orders were 
being shouted up above; and then came a grinding 
sound as the anchor was slowly dropped. The 
Countess de Mattos knew that they must be in the 
harbour of Samoa. She flung open the door of her; 


STAND AND DELIVER! 


273 


cabin and stepped out into the saloon. There sat 
George Trent, who, as she appeared, looked up from 
a book which he was reading, or seemed to read. 

“ Good morning, Countess,” he said coolly, rising 
and flinging away his book. “ I’m glad you’re 
better, but I don’t think, now I see you in the light, 
that you look well enough to be out.” 

“ I w r as never ill,” she answered haughtily — for 
Virginia Beverly’s brother could only be an enemy. 

“ It’s mighty brave of you to try and keep up 
like this,” said George, “ but that was a bad attack 
of yours the other night. I can see you’re not fit 
yet. You’d better go back and lie down while we 
coal. The blacks will be flying around, you know, 
and you’ll get them in your lungs.” 

“ Let me pass,” exclaimed the Countess, making 
a rush to push by him and reach the companionway. 

“ I’d do a good deal for you, Countess, but I can’t 
do that,” retorted George. “ It’s against the 
doctor’s orders.” 

“ How dare you! ” she panted. “ Oh, you shall 
suffer for this ! ” 

“All I’m worried about now is that you don’t 
suffer. You really mustn’t excite yourself. It’s 
no good, you know. It’s as much as my place is 


274 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


worth to let you upstairs. I expect it would be the 
best thing for your health to go and lie down, but if 
you won’t do that, why, I’ll try and entertain you 
here as well as I can.” 

The beautiful woman looked the tall young man 
full in the eyes, hers dilated and burning with the 
impotent fury in her soul. She was wise enough 
to see that he was not to be beguiled. If he, like 
other men, had his price, nothing that she could 
offer would pay it. He did not mean to let her go 
up on deck, and it would be as useless as undignified 
to attempt carrying out her will with a high hand. 
If there were any hope, it was in stratagem. With- 
out breaking another lance against the impenetrable 
armour of his obstinacy, she turned her back upon 
him, swept into her cabin, and shut the door. 
Having done so — her little bag still grasped in her 
hand — she flew to the porthole and peered out. If 
a boat had been passing, or a ship at anchor visible 
near by, she would have screamed for help; but 
nothing promising was to be seen for the moment. 

Meanwhile, Virginia had spent the most heavenly 
half-hour of her life. She had been so divinely 
happy that she had forgotten the danger ahead. To 
sit beside Max Dalahaide, to meet his eyes, tragic 


STAND AND DELIVER 


275 


no longer, but bright with passionate gratitude; to 
know that he was out of danger, that he would live, 
and owe his life to her and hers; to hear the thanks, 
spoken stammeringly, but straight from his heart, 
filled her with an ecstasy such as she had never 
known. It was akin to pain, and yet it was worth 
dying for, just to have felt it once. 

She was with him still when the yacht dropped 
anchor. 

“This is Samoa ?” he said, half rising on his 
elbow, and a quick flush springing to his thin cheeks. 

“ Yes,” Virginia answered. “ But there is no 
danger. My cousin says they will dare nothing. 
We shall have coaled in a couple of hours, and 
then — ” 

At this moment a sound of voices came through 
the open porthole, which was on the side of the 
yacht opposite to Manuela’s. 

Someone in a boat was calling to someone on the 
deck of the Bella Cuba; and evidently the boat was 
near. 

Virginia's sentence broke off. She forgot what 
she had been saying, and sprang to her feet, her 
heart in her throat. It was the Marchese Loria’s 
voice that she had heard. 


276 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

What could his presence here signify? Did it 
mean unexpected disaster ? Involuntarily her 
frightened glance went to Maxime’s face. Their 
eyes met. She saw in his that he, too, had recog- 
nised those once familiar tones. 

“ I will go on deck,” she said brokenly, trying to 
control her voice. “I — when I can I will come 
back again. And — of course, Dr. Grayle, you will 
stay here.” 

“ You may trust me,” said the little brown man, 
with meaning in his words. 


CHAPTER XIII 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 

R OGER BROOM had seen the boat coming 
from afar. Already the lighters were along- 
side, and the process of coaling was about to begin. 
This would be got through as soon as possible, and 
necessary provisions bought from the boats plying 
from the town with fresh milk, butter, eggs, meat, 
fowls, and green vegetables. But Roger knew well 
that, expedite their business as they might, the Bella 
Cuba would not steam out of the harbour without a 
challenge from the law. The only shock of sur- 
prise he experienced at sight of the official-looking 
little craft, making straight for the yacht, was in 
recognising the Marchese Loria, the last man he had 
expected to see. 

As he stood on deck beside the quartermaster 
near the rail, Loria hailed him by name, while the 
boat came alongside, and the four rowers shipped 
their dripping oars. 


277 


278 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

“ Ah, Sir Roger, you are surprised to see me ! ” 
the Marchese cried. “ But by our old friendship, 
I hope you will let me come on board. These gen- 
tlemen in the boat with me are the United States 
Consul, Mr. Chandler; the French Consul, Mon- 
sieur de Letz; and Herr Dr. Sauber, the medical 
officer for the health of the port.” 

“ Speaking for Miss Beverly as well as myself, 
we shall be very pleased to see you,” said Roger. 
“ Herr Dr. Sauber’s business with us it is easy to 
guess, and he is prompt in carrying it out. Mr. 
Chandler and Monsieur de Letz are, no doubt, your 
friends, Marchese, who have come with you to pay 
us a friendly visit. We shall be delighted to enter- 
tain them on board as well as we can during the 
dreary process of coaling.” 

“ I can’t let you deceive us on false pretences, 
sir,” replied the United States Consul. “ My busi- 
ness and that of Monsieur de Letz is not wholly 
friendly, unfortunately, although we are both par- 
ticularly anxious it should be carried out in a 
friendly spirit. It is in this hope that certain for- 
malities have been waived. It is, as you know, 
your duty to receive Dr. Sauber on board, and as 
you fly the American colours it is your duty to re- 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 


279 

ceive me as the representative of the authority of 
the United States.” 

“ Charmed, Fm sure, to see you in any capacity,” 
said Roger, his tone unchanged. “ Though what 
the authority of the United States should have to 
do in procuring us the pleasure, I — ” 

“ The authority of the United States supports 
France, as it is bound to do, in accordance with the 
extradition treaty, in demanding that you give up 
the fugitive convict, 1280, who came on board your 
yacht at New Caledonia.” 

“ We have no convict with us,” retorted Roger. 

“ In that case you cannot object to search being 
made,” said Monsieur de Letz. 

“ We do most certainly object to being insulted,” 
Roger replied. “ Mr. Chandler, the owner of this 
yacht is an American lady, Miss Beverly. I call 
upon you as her Consul to protect her interests, not 
to sacrifice them.” 

“ Sir Roger,” Loria broke in, before Chandler 
could answer, “ I beg once more that you will let 
me come on board with the doctor as a friend. I 
will explain why, when we can talk together. 
Though I am with these gentlemen, their errand is 
not mine.” 


280 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ The doctor I feel bound to receive/' said Roger. 
“ But Miss Beverly, it seems to me, has as much 
right to choose who her guests shall be on board her 
own yacht as in her own house. If she were here 
to speak for herself — ” 

“ She is here to speak foi herself,” said Virginia, 
at his shoulder. “ Marchese Loria, I invite you to 
come on board. I invite also the United States 
Consul, whose protection I claim. But I do not 
choose to have other guests.” 

“ The health officer has a right to board us, you 
know, Virginia,” said Roger in a loud tone; then, 
close to her ear : “ Hang it all ! we are more or less 
at their mercy. We can’t get away without coal- 
ing, and they know it. Our poor little cannon are 
of no use to us here. We can’t afford to defy any 
of the powers interested; they’ve got too many gun- 
boats in the harbour. Bluff is our game, and we’ve 
got to play it for all it’s worth. But you’re per- 
fectly right about the Consul. Only, if you don’t 
want Loria, you needn’t — ” 

“ I do want him,” Virginia hastily whispered — 
“ for a special reason. And I want to talk to him 
alone. But for Heaven’s sake keep the Frenchman 
off ! Who knows what coup he may be planning? ” 


THE GAME 0F. BLUFF 


281 

As if in answer, though he could not possibly 
have heard, de Letz announced from the boat that 
he did not wish to insist upon boarding the yacht. 
He would trust his business in Mr. Chandler’s 
hands, since the lady preferred it. This easy-going 
courtesy alarmed Virginia. She felt instinctively 
that the enemy had a strong trump with which to 
confound her unexpectedly. Still, if she did not 
quite see the enemy’s game, at least they could not 
see hers. 

The gangway was let down. L'oria, Chandler, 
and the medical officer of the port came on board. 
Then the gangway was drawn up, though the 
French Consul and the four oarsmen sat placidly in 
the boat. 

The purser, who was busy receiving stores, was 
sent for, to be interviewed by the doctor. Roger, 
standing by, gave half his attention to the conver- 
sation between these two, and half to the United 
States Consul, who plunged at once into the sub- 
ject of the escaped convict. 

Monsieur de Letz had informed him, he an- 
nounced, that if the fugitive were not given up to 
justice by the American yacht, it would be regarded 
by France as a direct and deliberate affront. Mean- 


282 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


while, the medical officer bombarded the unfortu- 
nate purser with questions. What ports had been 
visited ? Where had the passengers been taken on ? 
None since Alexandria? Humph! Alexandria 
was considered an infected port at present Any- 
one ill on board? No? Where, then, were the 
remaining members of the party? In their cabins? 
The doctor must ask, as a mere matter of form, to 
see them. 

Roger Broom’s lips were suddenly compressed. 
So this was the game. He saw it all now. The 
doctor was in the plot. He meant to detain the 
yacht in quarantine. If he succeeded in doing this, 
Maxime Dalahaide was lost. Everything else they 
had thought of, but not this. 

“ May I speak with you alone, Miss Beverly ? 99 
Loria had begun to plead, the instant he had set 
foot on deck. “ Believe me, it is partly for your 
own sake, partly for the sake of others whose wel- 
fare is dear to you, that I ask it.” 

It was the thing for which Virgina had been 
wishing. “ Come down with me into the saloon,” 
she said. 

“ Could we not speak here, at a little distance 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 283 

from the others ? ” urged Loria, who knew that the 
doctor intended to visit the cabins. 

“ It is better below,” the girl answered. She was 
determined to be already in the saloon before the 
others came down. “ Come quickly, and we can 
talk without being disturbed.” 

There was nothing for Loria to do but to obey. 

They went down the companion-way ; and George 
Trent, on guard with his book near the Countess de 
Mattos’ cabin door, jumped up at sight of Loria. 

“ What, you here, Marchese ? ” he began. But 
Virginia cut him short with a look and gesture both 
imploring and imperative. 

“ Leave us, George, I beg,” she said. “ Later, 
there will be time for explanations.” 

Without a word, the young man bowed and 
walked away. But he did not go further than his 
cabin. He wished to be at hand if he were needed, 
as he might be, by-and-by. 

On the other side of the state-room door stood 
the Countess, half crouching, like a splendid tigress 
ready to spring. 

“Marchese,” George Trent had said. Who was 
this Marchese ? Could it be possible that it was the 


284 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

one man of all others for whom her heart had cried 
out? Had his soul, in some mysterious, supernat- 
ural way, heard her soul calling to him across the 
world? Had he heard, and come to her here, to 
save her from her enemies? In another moment 
she must hear the voice of the new-comer whom 
George had addressed as “ Marchese,” and then she 
would know. 

Even as she told herself this, schooling her im- 
patience, the voice spoke. “ Miss Beverly — Vir- 
ginia,” it said brokenly, imploringly, “ for the love 
of Heaven don’t misjudge me. I came with those 
men to-day, not to help them, but to help you — if 
I can. You must know I would give my life to 
serve you. My life, do I say? I would give my 
soul. It was in ignorance of what would happen 
that I visited Samoa. The French Consul is an old 
school friend. He told me everything — I mean, 
the news from New Caledonia. He has photo- 
graphs of Maxime. I tried to get them away, with- 
out his knowledge, but I didn’t succeed. You must 
not be embroiled further in this terrible affair. The 
best thing is for you to give the poor fellow up, and 
I swear to you that, for your sake, and for his — 
even though I believe him guilty — I will find some 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 


285 


means of saving him. The doctor has been prom- 
ised all sorts of favours if he will state that there is 
a suspicious case of illness on board; a state-room 
door locked against him will be enough to raise sus- 
picions that you are hiding a case of plague. You 
can do nothing. Unless you give Maxime up, and 
it is seen that you have a clean bill of health, you 
will be detained indefinitely in quarantine. Further 
advices will arrive from New Caledonia, representa- 
tions will be made to the authorities here, it will be- 
come an international question, and you will be 
forced to surrender the escaped prisoner. Maxime 
will then be lost, for I should be unable to help him, 
if things had gone so far — the hue and cry would 
be too furious. De Letz is determined to thwart 
you, but he doesn’t know that I am a secret ally of 
your plans. Trust to me. Give Maxime up while 
there is time, and you will never repent it.” 

“ You make brave promises, Marchese,” returned 
Virginia. “ But you do not name your price. I 
suppose, like other men, you have a price for what 
you say you can do ? ” 

“ I make no conditions,” answered Loria. “ It 
hurts me that you could think of it. All I want is 
a little gratitude from you — ah no, I cannot say 


286 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


that is all I want. Only, it is all I ask. What I 
want more than anything on earth, more than any- 
thing which even Heaven could give, is the treasure 
of your love. For that, I could fight my way, and 
Maxime Dalahaide’s way, through the place of lost 
spirits, and laugh at the tortures of Hades. I dare 
not ask for that treasure now. Give me what you 
can, that is all, and my life’s blood is yours, for I 
worship you, Virginia. I dream of you night and 
day. If I cannot have you for my wife, I shall go 
to my grave unmarried, and the sooner the better. 
There’s nothing but you in the world; no other 
woman but you; there never has been for me, and 
never will be.” 

“ It’s false ! ” cried the voice of a woman, husky 
with passion; and throwing open the door of her 
cabin, the Countess de Mattos stood on the thresh- 
old, not six feet distant from the two in the saloon. 

Carried away on the tide of his very real love 
for Virginia Beverly, whose pale, spiritualised 
beauty had gone to his head like wine, the hot- 
blooded Italian was at a disadvantage. Strength 
had gone out of him in his appeal. Physically and 
mentally he was spent. 

The passionate voice, the flaming eyes of the 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 


287 


woman suddenly seen in the doorway, struck him 
like a double blow aimed at a drowning man. 
“ Liane! ” he cried, before he could regain the self- 
mastery which meant all the difference between life 
and death. 

“ Yes/’ she flung at him in French. “ I am 
Liane — Liane Devereux. Come, everyone, and 
hear what I have to say. This man is a traitor — 
traitorous friend and treacherous lover ! ” She 
stopped for an instant, and threw a glance round the 
saloon. Loria and Virginia Beverly were no longer 
alone there. George Trent, Sir Roger Broom, Kate 
Gardiner, and two men who were strangers had 
suddenly appeared as if by a conjuring trick. The 
woman stood with her head held high, like some 
magnificent wild creature of the forest at bay, fear- 
ing nothing save loss of vengeance. She was glad 
that all these people had come. The more there 
were to hear the tale she meant to tell, the more sure 
the stroke of her revenge. Yes, she was glad, glad ! 
And though she died for it, under the knife of the 
guillotine, she would ruin the man who had deceived 
her. 

“ He pretended to love me,” she went on. “ But 
now I know that he never did, for when he vowed 


288 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


love and devotion his voice did not once sound as I 
have heard it now, speaking to that white- faced girl 
when he did not dream I was near. 

“ I am Liane Devereux, not a Portuguese woman, 
not the Countess de Mattos, therefore Maxime Dala- 
haide is not a murderer, since I live. It was the 
Marchese Loria who arranged everything — even 
my name, and credentials, and proofs of my identity 
as Manuela de Mattos, in case they were ever 
needed. Oh, there was nothing neglected. But 
now I know that it was not for my sake, as I 
thought, but to serve his own ends, and I am willing 
to die to hold him back from success. 

“ I will tell you the whole story from the begin- 
ning. Five years ago I was an actress in Paris. I 
made two or three failures. A powerful dramatic 
critic had vowed to drive me off the stage. He had 
begun his work; and at this perilous time in my 
career, just as I had quarrelled with my manager, 
Maxime Dalahaide fell in love with me. I thought 
he was rich. It occurred to me that if I became his 
wife I could leave the stage in a blaze of glory. Be- 
sides, he was brilliant and handsome. I was flat- 
tered by his admiration, and felt that it would be 
easy to love him. I did all I could to win an offer 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 289 

of marriage from him. When it came I accepted. 
But soon after our engagement his father lost a 
great deal of money. I realised that Maxime would 
not be as good a match as I had counted upon mak- 
ing. Still, I did not throw him over; for by that 
time I cared for his handsome face, and I was of 
far too jealous a nature to risk throwing him into 
the arms of another woman. If we parted, I 
thought I knew to what woman he would turn. 
There was an English girl singing at the Opera 
Comique, whose name at one time had been coupled 
with Maxime Dalahaide’s. She had a good voice 
and a pretty enough face, but she would not have 
succeeded in Paris, people whispered, if Maxime had 
not helped her. I had spoken to him of this girl, 
and he had denied caring for her. She was a very 
ordinary, uninteresting creature, apart from her 
beauty, he said; but she had been friendless and in 
hard luck, and as he was half English himself, he 
had done what he could to aid a lonely and deserv- 
ing young countrywoman, that was all. Still, I was 
never sure that he was not deceiving me. Alto- 
gether, in those days, I was unhappy. The Mar- 
chese Loria, Maxime’s best friend — as I thought 
— was very sympathetic. He came often to see 


290 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


me, both with Maxime and alone. One day they 
quarrelled in my house. It was Loria who began it. 
He accused Maxime of prejudicing his sister, Made- 
leine against him, and Maxime admitted that, 
though he loved Loria, he did not think he would 
make a good husband, and did not wish him to 
marry Madeleine. With a look of jealous hatred in 
his eyes, which I have never forgotten, Loria cried 
out that Maxime had always taken away from him 
everything he wanted most — love of friends and 
women, popularity, all that a man values in life. 
Then, almost before Maxime could answer to vow 
that never, consciously, had he been Loria’s rival or 
injured him in any way, Loria begged forgiveness, 
said he had spoken in anger — that in his heart he 
did not mean a word. So the quarrel — if quarrel 
you could call it — was made up. But I guessed 
then that Loria had never really loved Maxime. 

“ It was only a few days after this that I found 
myself in great trouble. with my creditors. Maxime 
had had too many losses to help me much, though 
he lent me two or three thousand francs. I asked 
him to pawn my jewels, which were worth a good 
deal, and to do it in his own name. It was Loria 
who put this idea into my head. He said that by 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 


291 


this means I should prevent the pawn-tickets from 
being seized by other creditors. Late that very aft- 
ernoon, when, against his will, Maxime had taken 
my jewels, the English girl, Olive Sinclair, came to 
my flat saying that she must talk to me of an affair 
of great importance to us both. I was curious, and 
my jealousy was up in arms. She was admitted by 
my maid, who was just going out for the whole 
evening, by my permission. 

“ Olive Sinclair came in. We were alone to- 
gether in the flat. She began by saying that she was 
going to England by the late boat that night, and 
that Maxime Dalahaide was going with her. As 
soon as possible, the girl went on, they would be 
married at a registrar's office, and the marriage kept 
secret from his family until she came of age the 
next year, when she would inherit a fortune, which 
she should be only too glad to share with her be- 
loved Maxime. She had heard, she said, that I 
went about boasting everywhere of my engagement 
to Maxime Dalahaide, and that she could bear it no 
longer, so she had come to tell me the real truth, and 
humble my pride. Perhaps I would not have be- 
lieved her if I had not known that Maxime did 
intend to go to England that night. He had told 


292 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

me that he wanted to see an uncle there on business. 
At once his story seemed improbable. I believed 
that the girl was telling me the truth. I have 
always had a hot temper, which often escapes be- 
yond control. A wave of rage rushed up to my 
head, and made a red flame leap before my eyes. 
As the girl talked on, smiling insolently, I struck her 
in my passion. She staggered, and fell on the floor, 
her head pressed up against the fender in a curious 
way. Dear Heaven, I can see her now, lying 
there, her eyes staring wide open, seeming to look at 
me, her lips apart! She did not cry out or move; 
and as I stood watching her, frightened at what I 
had done, a few drops of blood began to ooze from 
her mouth. 

“ I went down on my knees, and shook her by 
the shoulder, calling her name ; but her head fell on 
one side, as if she had been a horrid dummy made 
of rags; and still her eyes were staring and her 
bloodstained lips smiling that foolish, awful smile. 
It was at this moment that I heard a knocking at the 
door. 

“ At first I kept quite still, dazed, not knowing 
what I should do. But then I thought it might be 
Maxime, who had changed his mind about selling 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 


293 


the jewels, and come back soon to tell me. I was in 
the mood to see him at whatever cost. I called 
through the door to know who was there. Loria’s 
voice answered. I let him in, explained confusedly 
what had happened, and begged him to bring the 
girl back to consciousness. Five minutes later he 
told me that she was dead. In falling, and striking 
against the fender, she had broken her neck. 

“ 4 What is to become of me?’ I asked. ‘ I did 
not mean to kill her, and yet — I am a murderess. 
Will they send me to the guillotine for this ?’ 

“ ‘ No, because I will save you/ Loria answered. 
Then, quickly, he made me understand the scheme 
that had come into his mind. So cunning, so won- 
derfully thought out it was, that I asked myself if he 
had somehow planned all that had happened; if he 
had sent the girl to me, and told her to say what she 
had said, counting on my hot blood for some such' 
sequel as really followed. But I could not see any 
motive for such plotting and in a moment I forgot 
my strange suspicions, in gratitude for his offer to 
save me. Sometimes I had fancied that, in spite of 
his wish to marry Madeleine Dalahaide, he loved 
me ; now he swore to me the truth of this, and I was 
scarcely surprised. He would give everything he 


294 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


had in the world to save me, he said. What a fool 
I was to believe him ! All I had to do in return was 
to promise that I would obey implicitly. Gladly I 
promised, and I did not falter even when the full 
horror of his plan was revealed. It was that, or a 
disgraceful, terrible death for me. Oh, I would 
have done anything then to escape the guillotine ! 

“ First of all he made me write a letter to Max- 
ime, telling him that I hated him and never wished 
to see him again; that I loved another man better. 
I did this gladly. That was nothing. And Loria 
let me go out and send the letter, while he began the 
awful work which had to come next. I thanked 
him for that. I had not nerve enough left to help 
much after what I had gone through. 

“ When I came back to the flat after sending off 
the letter, Loria unlocked the door for me. Already 
the worst was over. 

“ His idea was for me to escape and let it seem 
that I had been murdered. This could be done, be- 
cause Olive Sinclair would not be missed. She had 
given up her rooms to leave for England that night. 
In a bag hanging from her belt were her tickets for 
train and boat. We were of much the same figure. 
Loria, in speaking to me of her before, had men- 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 


295 


tioned this slight resemblance. Her hair was 
brown, while mine was red-gold. Hers would have 
to be bleached, now that she lay dead. But there 
was no great difficulty in that, for I had the stuff in 
the house, as I used it in very small quantities to 
give extra brightness to mine. 

“ While I had been gone Loria had fired shot 
after shot into the poor dead face, from a revolver, 
which he did not show me. Afterwards, when I 
was far away, I heard that the weapon was Max- 
ime’s ; but, honestly, I did not think at the time that 
Maxime would be implicated in this affair. I was 
half mad. I thought only of myself, and of Loria’s 
self-sacrifice. Already I could have worshipped 
him for what he was doing to save me. 

“ He shot the hands, too, that they might be shat- 
tered, for Olive Sinclair’s hands were not like mine ; 
but before he did that, he had slipped two or three 
of my rings, which he had found on my dressing- 
table, upon the dead fingers. 

“All this was finished when I dragged myself 
home. But together we bleached the dark hair till 
it was the colour of mine, and together we dressed 
the body in my clothes, Loria having removed the 
gown before he used the revolver. Oh, the horror 


296 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

of that scene ! It is part of my punishment that I 
live it over often at night. At last we arranged the 
shattered hands to look as if the girl had flung them 
up to protect her face from the murderer. 

“ I put on her travelling dress, and her hat, with 
a thick veil of my own. Meanwhile, a knock had 
come at the door. I feared that the shots had been 
heayd, and that we would be arrested. But Loria 
quieted me. He said the revolver was small, and 
had made scarcely any sound; that, as no one lived 
in the flat above or just underneath, it was quite 
safe. We did not answer the knock, though it came 
again and again. But afterwards, in the letter-box 
on the door, there was a packet containing the 
money which Maxime had got from the pawnbroker 
for my jewels. That I took with me, and Loria 
gave me more. Whether Maxime himself brought 
the money, or sent it by messenger, I did not know ; 
but, afterwards, the concierge bore witness that he 
had passed into the house before the murder must 
have taken place, and gone out long afterwards. 
And dimly I remembered, in thinking of Loria as he 
had looked in that dreadful hour, that he had worn 
a coat and hat like Maxime’s. How can I tell what 
were the details of his scheme? But when Maxime 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 


297 


was accused of the murder, and Loria made no 
effort to exonerate him, it took all my faith in the 
Marchese as a lover to believe that he was sacrificing 
his friend wholly for my sake. As for me — why 
should I give myself up to the guillotine for a man 
who would have betrayed me for an Olive Sinclair 
— especially when he was not condemned to death, 
but only to imprisonment ? 

“ I went to England in Olive Sinclair’s place. 
Fortunately for me, she had no relatives. No one 
asked questions, no one cared what had become of 
her. She was not a celebrity, in spite of the way in 
which Maxime Dalahaide had worked to help her. 
After a while I left England for Portugal. Mean- 
while I had dyed my hair, and stained my com- 
plexion with a wonderful clear olive stain which 
does not hurt the skin, and shows the colour 
through. Here are the things I use, in this bag. I 
keep it always locked and ready to my hand. 

“ Loria bought me a little land and an old ruined 
house near Lisbon, belonging to an ancient family, 
of whom the last member had died. The title went 
with the land. It was supposed that I was a dis- 
tant cousin, with money, and a sentiment of love for 
the old place. But really I hated it. It was dull — • 


298 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


deadly dull. I travelled as much as possible, and 
Loria had promised that at the end of the five years 
he would marry me, saying always that he loved me 
well; that if he had sinned it was for love of me, 
and to save me. When the world had forgotten the 
affair of Maxime Dalahaide we would be married, 
and live in countries where no one had heard the 
story, and nothing would remind us of the past. I 
forced myself to believe him, for he was my all — 
all that was left to me in exile. But now I know 
him for what he is. I would swear that he planned 
everything from the beginning to ruin Maxime 
Dalahaide. He here to help his old enemy! No, 
it is he who must have set the bloodhounds on his 
track. I fight under Loria’s banner no longer. He 
loves Virginia Beverly. Now that she knows him 
as he is, and what he has done for hatred, let her 
put her hand in his if she will.” 

The woman’s voice fell from a shrill height into 
silence. Her olive-stained face was ash-grey with 
exhaustion. No one had interrupted, or tried to 
check the fierce flood of the confession, not even 
Loria. All had stood listening, breathless ; and Vir- 
ginia had known that, behind the door of his locked 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 


299 


cabin, Maxime Dalahaide must hear every clear- 
cadenced word of fine, Parisian French. 

Loria had stood listening with the rest, a sneer on 
his lips, though his eyes burned with a deep fire. If 
he had taken a step, hands would have been thrust 
out to stop him. But he did not move except, in the 
midst of Liane Devereux’s story, to play nervously 
with an old-fashioned ring of twisted, jewel- 
headed serpents on the third finger of his left hand. 

Suddenly, as the woman finished, he raised the 
hand to his lips and seemed to bite the finger with 
the ring. Then he dropped his hand and looked at 
his accomplice with a strained smile. But the smile 
froze ; the lips quivered into a slight grimace. His 
eyes, glittering with agony, turned to Virginia. 

“ I loved you,” he said, and fell forward on his 
face. 

“ He has taken poison! ” exclaimed Chandler, the 
United States Consul. “ It must have been in that 
queer ring.” 

He, and Roger Broom, and George Trent, and 
the German doctor pressed round the prostrate fig- 
ure, but the woman who had denounced him was 
before them all. With a cry she rushed to the fallen 


3 oo THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


man, and, flinging herself down, caught up the hand 
with the ring. They saw what she meant to do, and 
would have snatched her away, but already her lips 
had touched the spot where his had been, and found 
the same death. 

The whole situation was changed by the unex- 
pected developments on board the Bella Cuba . Dr. 
Sauber had relinquished, indeed almost forgotten, 
the clever plan by which the yacht was to be de- 
tained. The French Consul, Loria’s host, was hur- 
riedly brought on board, to be dumbfounded by a 
recital of what had happened. With Loria dead, 
and guilty, the fugitive concealed on the Bella Cuba 
innocent, de Letz’s personal motive for detaining the 
prisoner disappeared. His chivalry was fired by 
Virginia’s beauty and the brave part she had played. 
In the end, instead of making difficulties for the 
party, he consented to take charge of his friend’s 
body and that of Liane Devereux, which latter duty 
was his by right, as consul to the country from 
which she came. The dead man and dead woman 
would be carried ashore in the boat which had 
brought the four men out to the yacht ; and de Letz 
would, acting on the statement of those who had 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 


301 


heard the confession, make such representations to 
France as would eventually obtain for Maxime 
Dalahaide a free pardon with permission to return 
to his own land. Meanwhile he (de Letz) reit- 
erated that it was as much his duty as before to 
bring about the arrest of the escaped convict, who 
had no more right to break his prison bonds if inno- 
cent than if he were guilty. To bring it about if 
possible! But — was it possible? And the 
Frenchman shrugged his shoulders, half smiling at 
Virginia. Mr. Chandler advised him that, in the 
present circumstances, it would be unwise to make 
the attempt. De Letz was inclined to agree, and, 
as Dr. Sauber had apparently found a clean bill of 
health, the Bella Cuba must take her own sweet way, 
rebel though she was. 

So when the yacht had finished coaling she 
steamed out of the harbour of Samoa with Convict 
1280 still on board. 

Virginia’s desire was to make for America, and 
to send for Madeleine, who had been living all 
this time with her aunt in an old Surrey manor- 
house belonging to Roger Broom. The brother and 
sister should stay at her house in Virginia until 
Maxime was free to return to France and he would 


302 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

grow strong and well, and everybody concerned 
would be happy. It would be madness, she urged, 
for Maxime to put himself in the power of French 
law until such time as his innocence was officially 
acknowledged. 

But Maxime thought otherwise. His innocence 
had been declared, and would sooner or later be ac- 
knowledged. The manly and honourable thing to 
do was to trust to the generosity of his adopted 
land. To France he would go, and boldly throw 
himself upon her mercy. 

“ He is right, Virginia,” said Roger, fearing the 
while that secret jealousy influenced his decision. 

“ He is right,” echoed George Trent, with no 
hidden thoughts at all. 

Virginia held her peace, though her heart was 
full ; and the ultimate destination of the Bella Cuba 
was France. 


France did not disappoint Maxime’s trust, but 
months passed before he was a free man. Mean- 
time hope had given him new life. His sister was 
near him. Virginia Beverly was in Paris, with an 
elderly relative of Roger Broom’s as her chaperon- 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 


303 


companion, instead of Kate Gardiner. Though he 
was virtually a prisoner, since the eye of the law was 
upon him, and the voice of the law pronounced that 
he should go so far and no further, still he was 
happy, so happy that he often awoke from 
prison dreams, not daring to believe the present 
reality. 

Then at last the day came when he was free. 
.Madeleine was staying with Virginia. He would 
see them together. There was heaven in the 
thought. George Trent was there, but not Roger 
Broom. Roger had been called to England on 
business, but he was returning that evening. 

Never had there been such a dinner as that which 
celebrated Maxime's release from the old bonds. 
Virginia had taken a beautiful house which had been 
to let furnished, near the Bois de Boulogne. 

After dinner the two girls with their brothers 
went out into the garden, the old aunt, exhausted 
with overmuch joy, remaining indoors. 

Virginia knew what would come next, and drew 
Madeleine away from the two young men that 
George might have the chance of asking Maxime for 
his sister. Five minutes later Maxime was squeez- 


3 04 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 

in g Madeleine’s hand, and telling her that no news 
could have made him so happy. Then, somehow, 
the lovers disappeared, and Virginia Beverly and 
Maxime Dalahaide were alone together. 

“ Everything good comes to us from you,” he 
said, his voice unsteady. “ What can I do to show 
you how I — how we worship you for all you have 
done, all you have been ? ” 

“There is one thing you can do,” Virginia an- 
swered softly. “ A favour to me. There is a lit- 
tle gift I want to make to you, on this day of all 
others. I have been planning it, thinking of it for 
a long time. Here is this paper. Take it and read. 
You will see then what I mean, and why I want it 
so much.” 

It was a long, folded document of legal aspect 
which she thrust into his hand, and in the blue even- 
ing light he opened it. At sight of the first words 
the blood leaped to his dark face, marble no longer, 
but a man’s face, young, handsome, and virile. He 
looked from the paper to Virginia. 

“Why, it is a deed of gift!” he exclaimed. 
“ The chateau — no, Miss Beverly, you are more 
than generous, but this cannot be. The chateau is 
yours — I would rather it belonged to you than to 


THE GAME OF BLUFF 


305 

anyone on earth, even myself — and yours it must 
remain.’’ 

“ I bought it for you. It will break my heart if 
you refuse,” said Virginia, with tears in her voice. 

The sound of her pain smote him with anguish. 
He lost his head and forgot the barrier between 
them — that he was poor, with a dark past and an 
uncertain future, that she was a great heiress. 

“ Break your heart ! ” he repeated. “ My dar- 
ling, my angel, I would give all the blood in mine for 
one smile from you. I never meant to say this. I 
oughtn’t to say it now, but — it said itself. You 
must have known before. You are the very soul of 
me, though I’m not worthy to touch your dear hand. 
I couldn’t take the old home from you — don’t you 
understand? I couldn’t live there again with this 
love of you in my heart, for it would make it so 
much the harder. I can’t forget you; I would 
rather die than forget you. This love is too sweet 
to live without, but I know very well that we can 
never be anything to each other, and my plans are 
all made. As soon as Madeleine is married I shall 
go out to Africa and try for luck as other men have 
tried — and found it. It is better for me to be far 
away from you — ” 


3 o6 THE CASTLE OF THE SHADOWS 


“ No, no, I love you ! ” cried Virginia. Then 
putting him from her with a quick gesture : “ But 

it will be I who goes far away from you. I have 
no right to care. My cousin, Roger Broom, will 
take me to England — anywhere — it doesn’t mat- 
ter. I promised long ago to marry him. In the 
winter perhaps — ” 

“ In the winter you and Max here will be spend- 
ing your honeymoon at the Chateau de la Roche,” 
said Roger’s voice, with a hard cheerfulness. 
“ That old promise — why, I never meant to hold 
you to it, dear. I don’t take bribes, and — I saw 
this coming long ago. I’m quite content it should 
be so. You’ll forgive me for overhearing, won’t 
you, girlie ? I didn’t mean to give you such a sur- 
prise, but I’m not sorry now. Give me your hand, 
Max, old man, and you, Virginia. There! I’m 
glad it should be the old cousin-guardian who joins 
them together.” 

“You mean it, Roger?” panted Virginia. 

“Of course I mean it.” 

The two hands joined under his. And the man 
and the girl were too happy to read anything save 
kindness in its nervous pressure. 



* 






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